A Different Kind Of Power
by splashfire99
Summary: In the aftermath of Rainbow Rocks, the now powerless Dazzlings split up as they have no use for each other now.But in their separate lives, they each encounter the three separate members of a famous boy group, and they realise that the boys may just be the keys to helping them regain their voices and maybe even stronger magic. But could that change? AdagioXOC,AriaXOC,SonataXOC
1. Chapter 1: The Split

**Chapter 1: The Split**

**Splashfire99:** Helloooo! First time writing a MLP fanfic here! Hope you'll enjoy it!

I wasn't really that much interested in MLP until Rainbow Rocks. After watching this movie, I found myself strangely attached to The Dazzlings, and had the sudden urge to write a fanfic about them. So..here it is!

In the very corner of a library, at an empty table, sat a young teenage girl. She held a book open and upright on the table, and seemed to be scowling rather grumpily at the pages. She wore a dark coloured hoodie with the hood over her head, and there were a few strands of light autumn locks visibly framing her face. Her eyes were dark pink and filled with bitterness, and her skin was golden yellow. The girl sat alone at her chair, flipping her book so frequently, that it was obvious that she wasn't caring to actually read it properly. Many people sitting around her assumed she was one of those school dropouts that had nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon. No one knew there was a siren in their midst, or the Leader of the sirens, to be exact, known as Adagio Dazzle. But she had been there for almost two hours already. As Adagio flipped through the rather dull(in her point of view) story, she tried, very quietly, to hum a specific note. But almost as soon as she had started, the hum broke off with a grunt of dismay. "Off tune..again." She muttered to herself. "Idiot Rainbooms. My plan was perfect!" She did not say 'our' plan was perfect, as in her point of view, her fellow sirens Aria and Sonata had almost nothing to do with the planning stage of their plan to rule the world. They weren't exactly friends either: they were just in the same group, being sirens. Now that the Rainbooms had ruined everything and robbed them of their powers and enchanted singing voices, there was no longer anything binding them together. After their gems were smashed and they were booed off the stage, they had argued for a while, before deciding to split. They never liked each other anyway, so why would they stick together after this? As she flipped through the book, Adagio rolled her eyes at the thought of Aria and Sonata. "Both of them are idiots." She grumbled under her breath. "At least this way, I don't have to put up with their nonsense." Despite saying this, she couldn't help but feel a small tinge of loneliness, and right now, she hoped she would hear Aria and Sonata's constant bickering. But all the same, she thought it would be better this way...right?  
While Adagio was sitting alone in the library, right at the other side of the city, a girl with violet hair with green streaks,two ponytails and violet eyes sat on a seat in the cinema, surrounded by strangers. The movie Now You See Me was projected on-screen, as the audience watched it intently with wide eyes of anticipation. However, the violet haired girl wasn't absorbing much from the movie or its plot. But occasionally, she would lightly touch her neck with a grim look on her face, like as though she had lost a necklace or something. She had the strong urge to sing, considering there were many people sitting around her, but she knew it would be no good. Firstly, thanks to Twilight Sparkle and her friends(a.k.a the Rainbooms), the precious gem that had once hung around her neck(and the necks of Adagio and Sonata), the gem that had given her the power to create tension amongst people and then feed off that energy, had been destroyed, so her voice would have no effect on anyone. Secondly, when the gem was destroyed, it had also taken her beautiful singing voice with it. If she sang, she would surely get thrown out for creating noise. The girl shut her mouth tightly to remind herself that. _Thanks a lot, Rainbooms,_ she thought to herself spitefully, sipping on her soft drink. Her voice was gone, and so was her sole purpose as a siren. _Pull yourself together, Aria Blaze,_ the girl thought. _You'll survive eventually, without Adagio and Sonata._ Adagio was always too commanding and bossy, while Sonata was always the dumb one who hardly had a clue what was going on. In fact, Aria thought that Sonata sometimes didn't know a single thing on what was going on around her. To be rid of both of them was a good thing...right? Compared to Aria's whirling thoughts, the dialogue of the movie seemed distant and echo-like.  
Meanwhile, right at the edge of the city, yet another one of the sirens was standing near the harbour, looking down at the sea with a blank look on her face.

And munching hungrily on a taco.

The girl's blue hair streaked with dark blue blew gently in the breeze, as her dark pink eyes stared down into the rippling water at her reflection. After a while, she shuddered with a soft squeal as a gust of cold wind blew past her, and quickly tugged the hood of the hoodie she wore over her head. Then, she finished her taco, threw away some rubbish, and continued to stare absently into the water over the railing. For moment, she saw her reflection change, her dark hoodie changing to become a dark pink shirt with long sleeves. A gem appeared on her neck, and her now dull pink eyes suddenly became full of confidence and life. The reflection smiled at her, before fading away once again to her normal reflection. The third siren, Sonata Dusk, sighed. She had no idea what exactly to do, now that her gem was gone, which meant she was powerless. Without her powers, there was no use hanging around anyone or returning to Canterlot High. Sonata felt as though she had just lost her purpose and goal, although, of course, she was quick at adapting to a normal, eventless life of a normal teenager. Even though she had to admit that being normal was pretty okay, she had no idea where to go without any goal-or any of her fellow sirens-to guide her. Following their defeat at the hands of the Rainbooms and the big split, Sonata guessed that Adagio should be cooped up somewhere grumbling about the Rainbooms. Sonata did resent them for taking away her source of power, but that was it, really. The only importance of that gem to her was that it seemed like the only thing that she could depend on to survive. But now that it was gone, would she fade away with time? At this thought, Sonata's eyes turned dimmer. The only thing she could think of to answer that was to wait and find out. With that, the teenager turned and walked away from the sea, aimlessly, to the streets.  
After the movie had finished, Aria Blaze walked out of the cinema alone, down a deserted street. As she walked, she hummed a tune quietly to herself, her face still filled with dismay because she knew how out of tune she sounded. She couldn't help but hope that Adagio or Sonata or both of them would pop out anywhere, considering both of them were much better company than no one, regardless of whether she liked them or not. Aria pulled her hood over her head. She'd never felt so miserable in her life. Now what could she do? Make friends? She frowned in disgust at the word" friends". Ugh, no way. She didn't want to end up like those goody two shoes the Rainbooms or any of the other Canterlot High students. What about...finding love? Ewww, even worse! Aria grimaced, and then snapped back to reality when a small piece of paper, carried by the breeze, suddenly smacked right into her face. "What the-" Startled, she snatched the small paper slip off her face and was about to angrily throw it away when the word" Concert" caught her eye. She gently held the slip in her fingers and carefully read it. It was then she realised that it was actually a ticket to a concert! 'Triple Rewind Charity Concert at Amethyst Hall, Friday 4p.m.' It read. Obviously, Triple Rewind must have been the name of a group. A singing group. Aria's eyes widened with sudden interest. She had always liked music...maybe it would be a good idea to go and watch them since she had nothing better to do? After all, the concert would start in half an hour, and Amethyst Hall was only a stone's throw away from here. Shrugging, Aria Blaze shoved her hands in her pockets and walked off in that direction.


	2. Chapter 2:Enter: Triple Rewind

Chapter 2: Enter: Triple Rewind

The moment Aria Blaze entered the concert hall, a stream of excited squeals and chatters engulfed her ears. Many fans had already arrived in the hall early, and it wasn't long before Aria was pushed along with the crowds. With much pushing and shoving, she finally managed to snag an empty seat in the crowded concert hall. She caught a glimpse of a shirt which one teenage girl was wearing. It was plain white with a big red heart which had pink words written in cursive on it: "I'm a Triple Rewinder!" Aria raised her eyebrow sceptically. Whoever this Triple Rewind group was, they seemed to have quite the number of loyal fans, since she realised at least three quarters of the audience was wearing identical t-shirts. As a siren banished from Equestria a long time ago, Aria had never heard of them before. Why not?  
Just then, loud upbeat music filled the hall, and coloured lights flashed onto the stage. The noise from the surrounding girls got twice as loud, making Aria flinch. There was a flash of white light from the stage, and when it faded, screams of joy erupted from the audience. Three teenage boys had appeared onstage, waving enthusiastically at the crowd. Numerous teenagers amongst the crowd jumped up and down and stretched their hands out towards the boys onstage, while continuing to scream hysterically. Two teenage girls in front of Aria excitedly held up a small red transparent billboard. Which much effort, Aria read the words written on the other side of the board: "We Love Allegro!" _Which one's Allegro?_ Aria thought, staring back at the stage. She was around the middle of the hall, so she was able to get a good look at the boys.

The boy which stood closer to the front of the stage had red brown hair with bluish green eyes. His skin was light, creamy brown. He wore a red shirt with a brown jacket that had a hood behind, and a brown tie. He wore a pair of jet black jeans that had what Aria assumed was his cutie Mark printed on the left leg: A yellow Sun with a red microphone in front of it. This must've been the leader of the group.

The other two boys stood at either side behind the red brown haired one, but they both had smiles on their faces as well and projected as much confidence as he did. The boy standing to his left had silver grey hair, hazel eyes and light grey skin, a shade lighter than his hair. He wore a dark blue denim hoodie with buttons, with dark green jeans. His cutie Mark, a silver hexagon with a treble and bass clef in black on it, was printed on the left bottom side of his hoodie. The boy standing at the other side had dark brown hair, violet eyes and very light lilac skin. He wore a white denim shirt with metal buttons and gold chains at the sleeves, and copper jeans. His cutie Mark, printed on a gold chain attached to his belt, was a wavy keyboard surrounded by little sparkles.

"Hello, Canterlot!" The red brown haired boy shouted through the Mic. The audience cheered. "I'm Allegro Flare!"

"I'm Cleffis Steel!" Shouted the Silver grey haired boy into his Mic.

"And I'm Concerto Dawn!" The Dark brown haired boy said.

"We're Triple Rewind!" They shouted to the happy crowd. "We'd like to start off this concert with one of your most favourite songs: Bye Bye Bye!" Allegro shouted, stepping back to line up with Cleffis and Concerto. "So sit back, and enjoy the show!"

Their fans applauded, so loudly that Aria thought her eardrums were going to burst. However, she couldn't help but feel curious about the group, so she decided to stay in there. As the first song came on, the fans fell silent, watching the three teenage boys sidestepping onstage, the lights pulsating onto them such that the audience was almost spellbound. Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto simultaneously raised their mics and started to sing.

_Bye bye bye_

_Bye bye_

_Bye bye_

_Oh oh oh_

Aria's eyes widened at their voices. No wonder they were so famous: their voices were perfectly in sync and melodious. Allegro pumped his fist in the air as the other lights shut off, leaving a lone spotlight shining on him. He started to sing.

_I'm doing this tonight_

_You're probably gonna start a fight_

_I know this can't be right hey baby come on_

_I loved you endlessly _

_When you weren't there for me_

_So now it's time to leave and make it alone_

As soon as the last line of the first verse left his lips, two more spotlights shone down onto Cleffis on Concerto, who joined in with different tunes such that their voices blended together perfectly.

_I know that I can't take no more_

_It ain't no lie_

_I wanna see you out that door_

_Baby bye bye bye_

As the song reached the chorus, the whole stage was flooded with lights. The platform beneath the boys' feet rose. The audience cheered hysterically.

_Don't wanna be a fool for you_

_Just another player in your game for two_

_You may hate me but it ain't no lie_

_Baby bye bye bye_

_Don't' really wanna make it tough_

_I just wanna tell you that I've had enough_

_Might sound crazy but it ain't no lie _

_Baby bye bye bye_

The fan girls swayed drunkenly to the music, screaming and shouting. The only one who was unaffected so far was Aria, who stared at the three boys, dumbfounded. There was something about their voices...The music seemed to fade away as Aria recalled the times when she and the others still had their powers. Her eyes widened.  
Listening closely to Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto's voices, Aria realised the way their voices sounded together was reminiscent of the way she, Adagio and Sonata's voices sounded together. When she realised this, she glanced at the other teenagers around her, amazed at how spellbound they seemed to the music. No wonder the group was doing so well. But that got her thinking of Adagio and Sonata. Where were they now?

After spending time reading countless, boring books, Adagio left the library in search of a new place to hang around at. As she walked along the street, a delicious smell wafted into her nose. Her eyes widened, and she sniffed at the aroma. Her stomach, as if on cue, started to growl. She looked around, and realised the delicious smell was coming from…a TACO STAND?! Adagio flinched in disbelief at the thought of Tacos. She had always been annoyed at Sonata for supposedly being addicted to Tacos, but she herself had never eaten one because of her pride. Adagio scowled, before reluctantly crossing the road to the taco stand. "One taco, please." She said,, handing a few coins to the taco vendor. "Coming right up!" The vendor chirped cheerfully, taking out an empty taco shell and spooning the condiments inside. Adagio shoved her hands into her pockets and looked round. "The streets look empty today." She commented. The vendor shrugged as he placed the taco into a napkin, "Triple Rewind's having their first concert, that's why." "Triple Rewind?" "They're a famous boy group. You've never heard of them?" Adagio shook her head. "No." "Hmmmm, that's strange. But anyway, you should listen to their music. They have amazing voices!" The vendor replied with a chuckle, handing the taco to Adagio. "Your taco, miss!" "Okay, thanks." Adagio took the taco from him and walked off munching on it. _Hmmm, not bad._ She thought to herself. _Maybe Sonata was right about Tacos after all…_ She flashed back to what the taco vendor had said. _Triple Rewind…But thanks to the Rainbooms, our voices are no better, even compared to them, _she thought bitterly.

The upbeat music was filling the hall, seemingly taking control of the crowd. Aria, with her hood still pulled over her head, looked around in astonishment. Triple Rewind was starting to resemble a reversed version of The Dazzlings. They had no magic, obviously, but the upbeat tune that reverberated out the speakers possessed the minds of the audience, swaying them side by side, as their captivating voices intoxicated everyone. It wasn't long before Aria realised she was starting to sway slightly as well, and quickly stiffened. They were pretty impressive, but she definitely didn't want to turn into one of their crazy, diehard fan girls.

_Get up get up get out of my head_

_And fall into my arms instead_

_I don't I don't don't know what it is_

_But I need that one thing_

_You've got that one thing_

As the music went on, Aria kept her hood carefully over her head and observed the boys. They projected that same aura of confidence as The Dazzlings once had, but instead of evil smirks, they all had friendly smiles on their faces. They sang in varying tunes, exchanging soprano, alto and tenor amongst themselves. Allegro had a cool swagger, while Cleffis kept on waving at some of their screaming fans, and Concerto bounced a little with a lively expression on his face as he moved. As Aria's gaze swept over the boys, Cleffis coincidentally flitted his eyes in her direction. Their eyes met, and Aria found herself suddenly drawn into his hazel eyes. Cleffis continued to lock eyes with her as he sang, and after a while, he smiled at her and winked amidst the song. Aria blinked. Wait a second…had Cleffis just winked at her? That couldn't be possible. Aria stared at the silver-grey haired boy. He wasn't looking at her now, but closing his eyes and losing himself in the song. Aria shrugged to herself dismissively.

Arialooked at the boy's feet for the rest of the concert, but she could sense Cleffis's hazel eyes flickering over to her very often. It felt as though his eyes were burning a mark into the side of her face. _Quit looking at me!_ She silently scolded him. She was trying her best not to be affected by this, but she didn't like it when people stared at her while she was in such a state: powerless and disgraced. Furthermore, why would a guy like Cleffis keep glancing at her?

**Splashfire99:** Okay, just to clarify things a little…Allegro is the Italian term for 'fast', Cleffis was derived from the word 'clef', and a Concerto is a kind of music piece. Stay tuned for the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3: Dusk Meets Dawn

Chapter 3: Dusk Meets Dawn

**After The Concert**

"That was one of our most awesome concerts ever!" Said Concerto, as the trio got into their limousine outside the concert hall. "Concerto, you say that about every concert." Allegro remarked, as the three of them looked out of the windows and waved at their cheering fans. Their limousine drove out onto the road and turned off into the street. As the windows rolled up, Allegro frowned at Cleffis. "Cleffis, what were you doing flirting with that girl?" Cleffis raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm sorry, what girl?" "The girl in the hoodie." Allegro replied sternly. "I saw you." "Yeah, I saw you too." Concerto piped up, raising the private glass so that their chauffeur couldn't hear them. Cleffis shrugged. "Maybe I did…but what's wrong with that?" Allegro looked appalled. "What's wrong with that? How many times have you been playing around with girls? I've lost count of the number of girls you've flirted with!" "Well, uh, in case you didn't notice, she wasn't really into us just yet." "So, you tried to 'charm' her into being into us?" Snapped Allegro. Cleffis rolled his eyes. "Well, DUH!" Concerto sighed in exasperation. _Some people never change…_ Just then, he noticed something coming up at the left outside the car. "Hey!" He said, lowering the private glass. "Could you let me off outside that café?" The limousine slowed to a stop outside the café, and Concerto hopped out of it. "You guys go ahead back to the hotel. "He called. "I'm in the mood for some hot chocolate!" "See ya!" Allegro and Cleffis waved goodbye to Concerto as he disappeared into the café.

Sonata sat at a table in the café, half sipping on a blue ceramic mug, filled with hot chocolate, half watching videos on her laptop. The café was pretty quiet, except for the occasional murmurs and clinking of utensils. It was only when a blast of warm air from outside hit her face did Sonata casually glance up. Someone was entering the café. Sonata almost went back to her laptop before pausing and taking a second look at the person. He had light lilac skin, violet eyes and dark brown hair. The boy closed the café door behind him, straightened his buttoned white denim shirt, and walked to the counter. "One hot chocolate, please." He said. For some reason, Sonata couldn't take her eyes off him, as he paid for his order at the counter. There was something about him… Finally forcing herself to turn back to her laptop, Sonata realised she felt different. She had never felt anything like this before. Her heart was suddenly beating faster, and she could feel heat rushing to her face. Not wanting the boy to notice how she was feeling, Sonata quickly plugged in her earpieces and let music flood her ears.

Waiting intently for his hot chocolate to be ready, Concerto glanced at the tray of light tray of snacks next to the cashier. "Oh, and can I have one of those pretzels?" He asked. The person at the counter placed the mug of hot chocolate on the table, and reached for a pretzel in the precariously stacked pile. Unfortunately, she accidentally knocked another pretzel off the pile, and it rolled off the counter and across the floor, collapsing right at a pair of pink boots. The wearer of the pink boots bent down, picked up the fallen pretzel and handed it to Concerto, who was scrambling over. "Did you want this?" She asked nervously. "Yeah, thanks." Concerto took the pretzel from her. "Sorry…"Muttered the café attendant. "It's fine." Said Concerto, throwing the pretzel into the bin. Calmly taking his hot chocolate and his own pretzel from the counter, he found himself automatically walking to the table where the girl with the pink boots was seated. "Hi." He smiled. The girl, who had light blue skin, dark pink eyes, long blue hair with dark blue streaks and was wearing a dark purple hoodie and jeans, looked up at him in surprise. "Hi…"She answered. Concerto set down his plate on the table before seating himself opposite her. "I'm Concerto Dawn. You?" The girl hesitated a while, before smiling and answering, "I'm Sonata Dusk." "Sonata?" Sonata's eyes quickly shot up to his face. "Yes?" "I mean...Sonata…that's a beautiful name." Sonata gave Concerto a surprised expression. "Tha-Thanks." She said, as though she wasn't used to getting a compliment like that. "I've never seen you around here." "Oh, that…my musical group is here on tour." Concerto replied.

The moment he mentioned the word 'musical,' he saw Sonata's eyes brighten even further. "You're from…a musical group?" She asked in disbelief. Concerto cocked his head to one side. "You mean…you've never heard of us?"

"No."

"Oh…No wonder you didn't know my name. Anyway, I'm a member of Triple Rewind. I'm surprised you don't know us, we're pretty big now." Concerto explained. Sonata tugged at her hoodie strings nervously. "I've been around for…a long time. I didn't really catch up on all the famous bands recently. I was into music myself." Sonata mumbled, and sighed. "You were?" Concerto asked excitedly. "What was the name of your group?" "Oh, we weren't that famous. We were just, um, taking part in a school contest. But we were defeated in the final round." Sonata said, not revealing much detail. Concerto, however, felt sudden interest in this topic. "If you don't mind…could you sing a little for me?"

Sonata's eyes widened in disbelief at that question. "I dunno..."

"Aw come on, you must have been good!" He urged. The girl shook her head. "I was back then, but…something happened. I don't have it in me anymore." Unfortunately, Concerto wasn't having it. "Just once?" He asked her. "Just to me?" Sonata hesitated for a while, before sighing. "Fine. But we'll have to go somewhere deserted."

***A few minutes later***

"_Oooo-waa-ohhh, Oooo-waa-ohhh, yew didn't know that yew fell…"_ Concerto winced at the sound of her voice as it resonated through the deserted alleyway. "_Oooo-waa-ohhh, Oooo-waa-ohhh, now that you're under our spell!_" Sonata croaked out, before shutting her mouth in embarrassment. Concerto looked awkward. "When you said you can't sing, you really can't." He admitted. Just then, some random guy dashed into the alley. "Are you two alright?" He asked, glancing around anxiously. "I heard screeching." Sonata looked down at her feet, face red with shame. Concerto noticed this, and turned to the guy with an awkward smile. "No, it's nothing." He reassured him. The man shrugged and walked off, scratching his head. "See?" Sonata said quietly. Concerto watched her with sympathy. Her face was still flushed red, and her eyes refused to meet his. Sonata felt so embarrassed and sad. Months had passed since she had lost her powers and while her voice became stronger with each time she fed off negative energy, her voice became worse and more croaky and hoarse with each time she didn't. _I'll never get my magic back, _she thought sadly. Just then, Sonata heard soft footsteps, and looked up to see that Concerto had taken a few steps toward her. She was startled to find him so close. It wasn't that close, but for some reason she found herself bothered by it. Her heart beat faster as Concerto started to speak.

"You know…maybe I could teach you?"

"What?" Sonata was surprised at this suggestion. The dark haired boy shrugged with a friendly smile. "I'll be here for a while. What if I teach you? Maybe one singing lesson per day?" That didn't sound too bad to Sonata. A feeling of exhilaration suddenly surged into her. "Okay, sure!" She chirped. "How long for each lesson?" The boy shrugged.

"How about…two hours?"

"Sure!" Sonata paused. "How much do I have to pay?" "How much can you afford to pay?" Concerto asked. "Uhhh…" Sonata's hopes fell again. "Not much. I lost everything after losing that contest." She muttered sadly. "Oh…then…" An idea struck Concerto. "What about you act as my personal assistant? Instead of paying me, you can assist me in exchange for your singing lessons." Concerto suggested. Almost at once, Sonata's eyes lit up again. "Really?" Then, to Concerto's surprise, she lunged forward and hugged him. And before he could respond, she pulled away. "Thanks!" She said cheerfully. "No problem." Concerto said, his face red. Sonata saw this. _Whoops, maybe I shouldn't have done that. I barely know him, after all,_ she thought. "So, we start tomorrow?" Concerto asked her. "Yeah, that's fine." Sonata saw him glance up at the sky. "It's getting late, I'd better get going. See ya, Sonata." Concerto said, giving her a bright smile. The two waved at each other before Concerto walked off. Sonata watched him leave before turning and heading off to her own home.

Sonata, using the money she had left from enchanting bank managers, had managed to afford a rather run-down apartment in an old, decrepit motel. The minute she got there, she quickly shut the door behind her. Her heart was still thumping wildly. _I don't understand! I've never felt this way before! What is this? _Sonata set her stuff on her bed and made her way to the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror, trying to trace the source of the problem. She hadn't ever felt this way until…Concerto. Once again, a feeling of exhilaration surged through Sonata the moment Concerto appeared in her head. She shook her head rapidly, trying to push his image out of her head, but the more she tried to shove it out, the faster it returned. _What's wrong with me?_ Sonata thought.

Just then, it hit her. She knew what she was feeling.

Oh…no.

Cleffis walked out of the KTV lounge, whistling contentedly to himself as he strolled down the street back to his hotel. The sky was a deep, dark blue above him, and stars glittered across it. What had he been doing in that Karaoke Lounge? Singing, obviously… and flirting, again. Cleffis Steel had no idea why, but he found it fun to just charm a girl and then charm another one, and so on and so forth. He was lucky that it hadn't damaged his reputation though: fans did love a celebrity playboy and heartbreaker. He only wondered why Allegro and Concerto always criticised him for this.

A flash of deep green across the street caught Cleffis's eye. He caught sight of a girl, wearing a deep green hoodie walking along the other side of the road, keeping her hood pulled over her head. It dawned on Cleffis that this was the same girl he had seen at the concert that afternoon, and she seemed rather downcast. Cleffis, ever the player, smirked to himself. _The good ol' Cleffis charm oughta cheer her up,_ he thought, making his way across the street toward her.


	4. Chapter 4: Unrequited

Chapter 4: Unrequited

**Splashfire99:** If anyone gets confused as to when Concerto and Sonata got each other's numbers, it was during the interval from when they were at the café talking to when Sonata sang to him in the alley.

Without any hesitation, Cleffis walked across the road towards the girl. She was walking a distance away from him, hands shoved in her pockets. Seconds later, she turned into a deserted alley. Cleffis followed her, but before he could turn into the alley he saw a big, burly guy shoving her against the wall and holding a knife to her throat.

"Cough up all your money!" The guy threatened. "I don't have any money." The girl said. The guy, unconvinced, got angrier. "Then cough up whatever you have on you!" He roared. As in answer to the robber's question, the girl suddenly raised both arms and gave him a big punch in the left cheek. Cleffis, watching from behind the wall, was too shocked to move. _Whoa, she's…tough_, He thought. The blow made the robber drop his knife and stagger backwards. The girl adopted a stance, ready to land another punch. The robber quickly recovered, let out another roar of outrage and charged toward her, but she swiftly dodged out of his path. He instead smacked himself right into the brick wall. Still strangely captivated by this event, Cleffis stared as the girl's hood fell back from the momentum of her movement. He could see her face more clearly now: light purple skin, violet eyes, and long violet hair with green streaks. Her hair was in two ponytails, both tied with Silver Star bands. And she looked more angry and annoyed than fearful.

Aria faced the robber as he stumbled to his feet, groaning in pain and swaying from side to side. This was really getting old. Having been in the human world for many years, she had run into robbers, lechers and other good-for-nothings many times, and eventually, she had adapted to these little…situations. She was confident that she didn't need to run away...She could take down any crook easily now. But one thing for sure, this guy in particular was bigger and stronger than the rest. Just how many more blows would he need to get knocked out? The robber steadied himslef angrily and tried to charge at her again, but out of the blue, a bolt of silver smacked into him before he could reach her, startling Aria. As the man fell over backwards, Aria realized the bolt of silver was a boy. He was around her age, and seemed oddly familiar. The silver-grey haired boy gave the man an accurate and precise blow to the head, which was just sufficient enough to knock him out. As if on cue, two policemen appeared at the mouth of the alleyway. "What's going on? We heard noises." One shouted. The silver-grey haired boy jabbed a finger at the man. "He tried to rob her." He said, nodding to Aria. Both policemen looked at her. "Are you okay, miss?" The other policeman asked. Aria nodded. "I'm fine." "Alright, then we'll just take this crook into custody." The first one said, the two hauling up the unconscious man and handcuffing him. As they did so, Aria remembered where she had seen the boy. Silver-grey hair…hazel eyes…it was the same boy from the concert! An alarm went off in Aria's head when she realised that it was none other than Cleffis Steel, and while the policemen were hauling the robber off, she quickly walked away. The winking thing which Cleffis had pulled off on her while she was at the concert gave her a rather bad feeling. But unluckily, she didn't make it very far before he caught up to her.

"H-hey!" The boy slowed to a stop beside her, as Aria made no effort to conceal the fact that she wasn't happy to see him. "What do you want?" She grumbled, refusing to look at him and crossing her arms. "You were at the concert, right? I saw you from onstage." Cleffis said, ignoring her expression. "Yes, I was." She grumbled again in reply. "I had a feeling it was you!" Cleffis exclaimed, his tone showing an amount of happiness. "I never got to know your name." Her name? Just what exactly was this guy up to?

Cleffis watched the violet haired girl hunch her back a bit more, a small scowl on her face as she thought over his words. After a while of more silence, she finally sighed in annoyance. "Aria Blaze." Came her rather frosty mutter. "Aria?" That sounded like a music-related name: just like his! Cleffis hid a pleased smirk. Knowing they probably had something in common was going to make charming her a lot easier. "Wow," he remarked to her coolly. "That name's almost as beautiful as you are." Aria's only response was that her scowl got bigger. Okay, so that compliment wouldn't work on her, and so Cleffis's mind expertly formulated something else. "So why were you at the concert? You're not a fan, obviously." "I just like music." The girl grunted. "I was bored and came upon one of your tickets." "Bored?" Cleffis echoed, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "Why would a girl like you be bored? You must've had a lot of guys after you." "Oh really? There were no boys after me." Aria scowled, her face showing more and more annoyance. "Don't ask me such a silly question, Clef." "It's Cleffis." The boy corrected, rather shocked at the cold response he was getting. She wasn't falling for any of his lines. And before he could do anything else, she let out another cold mutter. "I need to go now." With that, she quickly walked off into the street, leaving a dumbfounded Cleffis behind. This girl, wherever she was from…she was the first girl whom he'd failed to charm. He had no idea why, but Aria wasn't the least swayed by him or his lines. _Gah, cheer up, Cleffis, _He thought to himself with a shrug. _You'll have better luck with other girls._ But as he walked back to his hotel, ne word constantly echoed over and over again in his head, resonating through his brain.

_Aria…Aria…Aria…_

*The Next Day*

Concerto waited outside his hotel when his phone beeped. Concerto grinned to himself. He knew who that was. He took out his phone and glanced at the screen.

_Where 2 meet?_

Concerto smiled at the text and quickly answered it.

_Right outside Canterlot Garden Hotel. See u there: D_

As Concerto put his phone back into his pocket, he heard a voice.

"Concerto?"

At the calling of his name, the boy looked up. "Yes…?" His voice trailed off when he recognized a pair of amber eyes. This pair of eyes belonged to a beautiful girl with pale lilac, curly hair. Concerto's heart almost stopped beating when he saw her. This…this was impossible, this…couldn't be. He hadn't seen her in…four years! Shocked, he could only choke out a gasp. "Ch-Cherry Blossom? I haven't seen you in a long time!" Cherry Blossom smiled at Concerto. "I moved here those years ago. You've been getting famous lately, haven't you, pal?" She asked. Concerto's face grew hot, and he struggled to find words to say. "I…um…yeah, I'm famous. Triple Rewind, heh." He stammered sheepishly. Cherry nodded. "Yeah, I know." Concerto couldn't keep his eyes off Cherry. She looked so much more beautiful than he remembered, and…."So… you're here now…" He fumbled for words. "Would you… get back together? With me?" At that, Cherry's smile faded. "Oh…I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Concerto." She told him. "I…I'm with someone else now." The poor boy's heart was smashed to bits when he heard that reply. That had been what he feared most when he'd spent so much time waiting for her like this. "I see…" He couldn't hide the dismay in his voice. "It's fine." Then, without further thought, he found more words slipping out of his mouth. "I've found someone else, too." "You have?" "Yeah. She's a pretty nice girl." "Really?" Cherry had a rather skeptical look on her face. "Who is she?" Concerto was at a loss. He forced himself to look the girl right in her amber eyes. What could he tell her? "She's, uh…"

"Hey, Concerto!"

Both turned to see Sonata running toward them, a big smile on her face and both eyes only focused on Concerto. Concerto smiled when he saw his new friend. "Sonata!" The girl launched herself right into his arms, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, twirling her around happily. Cherry watched the ecstatic pair, suddenly looking blank. "Who's this?" She asked quietly. Concerto set Sonata back on her feet and turned to Cherry. "This is Sonata, Sonata Dusk." He said, gesturing to Sonata, who gave a cheerful grin and waved at Cherry. "Sonata, this is Cherry Blossom, my ex-girlfriend." He saw Sonata freeze for a moment. "Your ex-girlfriend?" "Yep." Concerto said. "And Cherry, Sonata here is my…" He stopped short, an idea forming in his head. "Hold on a sec." He hastily told Cherry, before pulling Sonata round. "Listen, Sonata, I need you to do a favour for me." He whispered to her. "I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend." As expected, Sonata was shocked at his request. "Huh? Why?" "Just do it for me, okay?" "Okay…" Both teens turned back to Cherry, who had been waiting patiently. She hadn't heard a thing. "Okay, um…" Concerto pretended to look nervous. "Sonata's my…girlfriend." Cherry's eyes widened. "She's your girlfriend?" "Yep." Sonata quipped, happily allowing Concerto to take her hand. He couldn't help but gaze a little at Sonata as well: she looked just beautiful in her dark pink shirt with blue straps and pink skirt. It was cheering to see that Sonata looked livelier in terms of her outfit rather than wearing that dreary dark purple hoodie again. And, the look on Cherry's face told him that she felt the same about Sonata's appearance. "Wow, you look…beautiful." She said to Sonata, who flashed another big grin. "Thanks!" Concerto glanced around. "Come one, Sonata, we'd better go." He waved to Cherry. "I'll see you around, bye!" "Bye, Concerto." Cherry waved back, but Concerto could sense a tinge of unhappiness in her voice, which was quite pleasing to him.

"…That was your ex?" Sonata asked, once they had walked a safe distance. "Yeah, my ex. We started dating a few years before I became famous. We were childhood friends also." Concerto's face became dreamy at the memories. "I thought we'd be forever, that we'd hold on to each other no matter what, but…" His face darkened with sorrow. "She moved away, and the distance just…killed it. I still loved her, but in her heart, we'd grown too far apart." Sonata couldn't help but glance at Concerto as he spoke, sympathy and pity welling up in her heart. "She's here, but she told me she's…moved on…" He lamented. "I'm sorry about that." Sonata said comfortingly. "But…why'd you ask me to act as your girlfriend in front of her?" Concerto sighed sadly. "Sonata…I want her back with me. She has to realise that she shouldn't have broken up with me in the first place. I've waited for her, this whole time…"

Both Adagio and Aria always said Sonata was the dumbest of the sirens, and Sonata had no idea exactly how dumb. But once those words left Concerto's lips, everything in her head clicked into place. _Back with me…shouldn't have broken up…waited for her… _His words rang in her ears, as Sonata realised what was going on. And at the same moment, an arrow went right through her heart.

Her first love…loved another.


	5. Chapter 5: Things Complicate

Chapter 5: Things Complicate

"Good!" The photographer shouted, as the camera flashed over and over. "Magnificent! Brilliant!" Allegro tried his best to smile as he posed again and again. He had to act happy for the magazine photo-shoot…even if he hated the person he was doing it with.

The person whom he was referring to was a young teenage model around the same age as him-a girl with dark autumn hair, golden eyes and light orange skin. She was doing the photo-shoot and acting all flirty with him as they did so. "Aw, you're so nice, Allegro!" She gushed, giggling happily as she hugged his arm. "Enh." Allegro grunted through his forced smile. Once the photo-shoot was finished, Allegro quickly dropped his smile. "Okay, that's it. I'm outta here." He snapped, letting go of the girl's hand. Nevertheless, she clung on to him like a koala. "Come on, cutie!" She said. "Aren't we supposed to be a couple?" Allegro scowled, becoming more irritated by the second. "Only in the eyes of the public, Citrine." He said, yanking his arm away from her. "Aside from that, leave me alone." Not waiting for Citrine's response, he walked off. "Great photo-shoot there!" His manager-well, Triple Rewind's manager, Show Biz hurried over to Allegro as he was walking away. "Very convincing, about you and Citrine." Allegro sighed in exasperation. "Mr. Biz, I don't know about this. Why does it have to be HER? She's pretty and everything, but-"The boy paused. "-let me try to put this as gently as possible-I HATE her, Mr. Biz. Every inch of her." Show Biz let out a melodramatic sigh. "I know you do, but please, think of your group! It's doing well, partially thanks to that!" He said, grinning. Allegro groaned. "Ughhh. I'll try." He muttered, as the glass front doors slid open. "I'm going out for a break."

Allegro kept his hood pulled over his head as he walked down the street. Whenever the three of them-Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto-went out, they always did their best to keep a low profile. Well, not so much for Cleffis, but generally yes. They didn't want to get swamped by fans wherever they went.

As Allegro crossed the road, away from the photo studio, he couldn't help feeling…free. He did love his career, his bandmates and his manager- Show Biz was the best manager he could ask for. There was just ONE problem: Show Biz, as he name went, was just practically all show biz. He did everything to make sure that Triple Rewind was one of the most successful groups around…but this time he'd gone too far for Allegro. Over the months, Show Biz had noticed that Citrine Gem-a well-known teenage model-had taken an interest of sorts in Allegro. And, being all about show biz, He'd gotten Allegro to pretend to be swept up in a young, typical sweetheart romance with Citrine in public to gain attention, and even better, hired media companies to spread news and gossip. He insisted this publicity stunt would boost the popularity of Triple Rewind-which it was-but for Allegro, it was making him miserable, having been forced to be with someone he couldn't stand. Citrine Gem cared about nothing else except fame, fortune and looks, and only liked him because he was the lead singer of Triple Rewind. She was so detestable, that even Cleffis regarded her as trouble and tried to steer clear of her. Show Biz knew how much Allegro hated Citrine, but disregarded tat completely. And since Allegro was supposedly dating Citrine in the eyes of their fans and everyone else in public, Show Biz had told him not to find a real girlfriend, lest people get the wrong idea, which would lead to the group's popularity declining. Basically: as long as everyone dragged the "Alletrine" shipping (Goodness, even their names sound horrible together), Allegro could never find anyone else. Awesome.

These days, Allegro could only find peace alone, without that irritating Citrine or his over controlling manager. Concerto and Cleffis were okay, but overall, Allegro liked it best when he was by himself. So, here he was.

Deciding to find a quieter place than the streets, Allegro happened to spot a library across the road. _Perfect,_ he thought to himself. He usually didn't read, so this would be the last place anyone expected him to be at: which was the way he liked it. Glancing around to make sure no one was staring at him, Allegro Flare pulled his hoodie further over his head and headed for the library.

"So anyway, Triple Rewind's next concert is tomorrow, so I'm free today. What about we go somewhere to practice?" Concerto asked, as the two walked on. "Uh…Sonata?" Sonata shook her head and blinked. "Yeah, I-I'm fine with that." "Good." As Concerto looked ahead, Sonata's sadness and jealousy grew. She…couldn't believe this. Concerto Dawn was the first ever person she'd developed feelings for in all her years of being in the human world, but he already liked someone else! So much for adapting to a normal, human life. The only comfort that she had was that she was now his personal assistant and would get to spend more time with him than Cherry…for now at least. "So...where should we go?" She asked, trying to suppress the mixed feelings within her. "Hmm…" Concerto processed this. His hotel room? No way, a bit too private. The café? Probably not the best place, given the state of Sonata's voice. "I don't know, Sonata. We need someplace deserted and quiet." He mumbled thoughtfully. A lightbulb in Sonata's head instantly lit up. "I know a place like that!" She chirped, her pink eyes brightening up as she snagged Concerto by the arm and pulled him with her. "Come one!" Despite the conflict involving Cherry Blossom, Sonata couldn't help feeling excited: she had a chance to regain her beautiful singing voice!

Concerto allowed Sonata to lead him away from the city streets and into a park. It was surprisingly deserted for a Saturday morning, and so Sonata's eyes quickly found an empty bench, right beneath a huge, shady tree. "That'll do!" she said, tugging Concerto toward it. Both of them promptly settled themselves on the bench, as Concerto pulled a sleek, black smartphone from his pocket, along with a pair of grey earphones. "What's up first, Mr. Dawn?" Sonata asked teasingly, as she took out her laptop. The way Sonata called him 'Mr. Dawn' made Concerto smile as he swiped his finger across his phone screen. "Let's start at the basics. Here, take one end of the earpieces." He said, plugging the earphones into his phone. The pair each plugged one end of the earphones into their one of their ears, as Concerto pressed the play button on his phone screen. "First things first: you need to sing in tune." He explained. "Okay…" Sonata said, suddenly feeling nervous. A soft piano tune resonated in her ear. "Hold on, isn't this…?" "A Thousand Years by Christina Perri." Concerto confirmed. "Try to sing along."

_Heart beats fast  
Colours and promises  
_"_How to be brave, how kin I lurrve when I'm ahh-friaid to fall..._" Sonata cautiously started to sing along with the song, but as she expected, she was terribly out of tune. "_But watchin' yew stand ahhh-lone, all of my doubts suddenly goes away somehow…_"It was at this point at which Concerto decided to give her some help. "_One step closer..._" He sang with her.

_I have died every day waiting for you  
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you  
For a thousand years  
I'll love you for a thousand more_

The stinging embarrassment Sonata had from her singing was numbed slightly when she heard her friend singing along with her, despite how out of tune she actually was. It was comforting, and Sonata suddenly felt encouraged. To be honest, she had never felt encouraged like this before. Adagio and Aria hardly encouraged her when they were together: all they did was put her down by pointing out how dumb she was and how unfocused she was on their goal. But now, Sonata suddenly was striven to do her best, for herself and Concerto. And as she continued to sing, she felt real happiness for the first time, and smiled to herself. Concerto, watching her expression, smiled too.

The library wasn't at all crowded that day, much to Allegro's relief. No one glanced up when he walked in. Many sat at the tables reading books, while others were looking around the bookshelves. Now to the next problem: what on earth was he going to do here? He wasn't a book lover, and couldn't stand books with long, complicated storylines. Plus he hardly went to the library, which meant he would have difficulties finding his way round this place despite the signs, labels and friendly librarians which he did not really consider helpful. But he had no choice, and so he walked right into the maze of bookshelves, still keeping his hood carefully over his head.

After a few seconds, the tall bookshelves started to loom over him intimidatingly, seeming more like a labyrinth. Okay, so Allegro wasn't that used to getting surrounded by books. Along some of the alleys, he could see several people conveniently leaning against the bookshelves reading. There was almost completely nothing to see here. Well, these people seemed to be intrigued by whatever they were reading, but for a non-reading pop star that lived in the fast lane, then there was nothing to see. Allegro quietly took a deep breath and mentally reminded himself to stay in this place until Show Biz called. It was at this point at which Allegro walked right into an alley which supposedly held English Fiction Books from D-F, according to the sign. Right near the end of the alley, there was a teenage boy and girl, visibly pretending to look at a book. A librarian was eyeing them suspiciously just outside the bookshelves, before deciding nothing was amiss and walking off. Once she was gone, the boy quickly pushed the book back into the bookshelf, grabbed the girl by the shoulders, and pulled her in for a kiss. Allegro (who was at the front of the alley) hastily pulled out a book nearest to him and pretended to read it. This sure felt awkward. However, it also hurt. Allegro would probably never experience real love like that as long as he was a celebrity.

"What a pair of lovesick fools."

A barely audible mutter from behind made Allegro's ears prick up. Who had said that? He turned around. Behind him, leaning against the bookshelf was a light yellow skinned teenage girl. She was busy reading a magazine, which implicated that she had made that tactful remark to herself, and that also gave him time to look at her more carefully. Besides the light yellow skin, the girl had very long and curly golden-autumn hair that had been tied into a huge ponytail behind her. Pink eyes flashed beneath her locks. She wore a dark, dull purple hoodie with jeans and sneakers. Aside from the noticeable long-ness of her hair, there was something else that kept Allegro from taking his eyes off her. Suddenly, he felt as though he was levitating in mid-air. Though the girl paid him no attention, his heart beat faster, and his legs stiffened, leaving poor Allegro stuck there like an ice sculpture, gazing hopelessly at her. Unfortunately, since she didn't notice him staring, the girl closed the magazine a few seconds later and went off. He could hear her disgruntledly humming a rather whiny tune to herself as she did so. _Who…who is she?_

Right at that time, as the autumn haired girl was preparing to exit the library, she collided with another girl. The two were knocked back from each other, rubbing their heads. After a few more seconds, they recovered and looked as though they were just about to start an argument when each stopped and stared in disbelief at the other person.

"Adagio?" "Aria?"


	6. Chapter 6: The Musician's Apprentice

Chapter 6: The Musician's Apprentice

Out of all the places in this awful human world, Aria had least expected to run into her former leader inside a library. And yet, here was Adagio Dazzle, in the flesh, standing in front of her, looking as shocked as she was. Somewhere deep down inside Aria, she had to urge to run forward and hug Adagio, and ask her where she had been, or how she was doing. But instead of that, she found herself forcing out a more unwelcoming question. "What are you doing here?" She asked her voice just as cold as always. She noticed Adagio hesitate for a moment, before a small scowl appeared on her face. "Reading." She muttered, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. Pfft, same old Adagio, Aria thought, rolling her eyes. After all, they both knew Adagio never read books, and Aria knew that Adagio would be too proud to admit that. "Why are you here, then?" Adagio asked, snapping Aria out of her thoughts. "Oh, me?" Said Aria. "Just wondering around, you know, ever since…" The two girls fell silent for a few moments when their defeat came to mind, and as it did, so did their resentment towards the Rainbooms. "Stupid Rainbooms." Adagio muttered. "Yeah…" Aria agreed quietly. _Ask her!_ A voice in her head urgently hissed. "Oh yes, Adagio, I was wondering, where is-""Sonata?" Adagio shook her head, her face showing no emotion. "I haven't seen her in days. But who cares, right?" "Right. She was the worst, after all." For some reason, Aria felt slight guilt as she said those words.

Hm, same old Aria, thought Adagio, watching her former fellow siren fold her arms and stare at the floor with that same, classic bored expression on her face. A small part of Adagio had hoped that Aria would say something warmer than her usual 'what are you doing here', but it seemed that things would never change with them. Also, that same classic cold attitude with the mention of Sonata. _But you started it,_ a voice in Adagio's head whispered. At that thought, the girl blinked and quickly disposed the thought. No time to think about Sonata now, she reminded herself. "What do you say we get out of this boring place or something?" She muttered to Aria. Aria shrugged in response. "Yeah, sure."

The two girls walked out of the library together side by side, but not really speaking. The memory of their last time together-their argument-was still fresh in their minds, making things very uncomfortable. The only reason why they weren't planning on ditching the other was because both had been alone, and wallowing in their respective pits of misery and self-pity for the past days. A decent person to accompany them would be fine. Although in Aria's case, she was still rather appalled at Cleffis' behavior the night before. The attitude he had shown her confirmed what she had suspected. Yes, she had been grateful to him for helping her, but only a playboy would talk like that. _'That name's almost as beautiful as you'?!_ Aria rolled her eyes again. _Puh-lease. _Who the heck did he think she was, a bimbo dumb enough to fall for such a cheesy pick up line? Concerning Cleffis Steel, chances of her ever liking him were absolutely zero. And as Aria thought about that, Adagio was thinking about her time in the library. She had been certain she hadn't attracted any attention, but just earlier she had the slight feeling that she was being watched at some point…

Unfortunately, the two of them, Adagio especially, were so deep in thoughts that both didn't realise they were crossing a road. Aria was the first to get snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed something approaching and speeding up towards…

"Adagio, look out!" She found herself shouting. Aria's yell was sufficient to quickly pull her former leader back to reality, and it was only then Adagio's vision refocused on reality.

There was a car speeding down the road toward her.

_Oh, crap!_ Adagio thought, eyes widening in dismay as she sought to step out of the way. But the car was already very close; her reaction time wouldn't save her now. But seconds before the car would make impact, Adagio suddenly felt a hand close over her left arm and yank her out of the car's path. She stumbled backwards onto the pavement, the car flashing past her as she did so, missing her by just a few inches.

Adagio heaved a sigh of relief and closed her eyes, trying her best to recover quickly from the shock. _Whew! I was really lucky Aria was fast enough to-_ "That was a close one." A voice said. Adagio stiffened. _Now hold on, that's not Aria's voice. _Her eyes snapped open and she looked up. The person holding her arm, who had saved her from a hit and run, was not Aria at all. In fact, Aria was just right beside the stranger, staring at her worriedly. Adagio's rescuer was a bluish-green eyed boy with red-brown hair. His skin was light brown, and he wore a red shirt with a brown jacket hoodie and tie, the hoodie pulled over his head. He also donned a pair of black jeans and sneakers with fiery imprints. His cutie mark was a microphone with a sun behind it.

Stunned, Adagio stared up at the stranger. His brown tie dangled down towards her as he knelt down beside her, still gripping her arm. His bluish-green eyes flashed with concern. "You alright?" He asked her. Adagio managed a nod. "Yes, I'm fine." The boy pulled her to her feet, and she dusted herself off. "Thanks, err, whoever you are." She said to the boy. The boy, for some reason, turned a bit pink and scratched his head in embarrassment. "Oh, it was nothing, really..." Suddenly, Adagio found herself yanked around. "Excuse us for a moment." Aria said to the boy hastily, who smiled and nodded politely. "Aria, now what are you doing?" Adagio hissed. "Don't you know who that boy is?" Aria said. Adagio glanced at him briefly. "No…"Aria let out a small groan of exasperation. "Adagio, that's Allegro Flare! He's the lead singer for a group called Triple Rewind!" That name definitely rang a bell for Adagio. That was the exact same group the taco vendor had told her about! "A musical group?" Adagio narrowed her eyes haughtily at Aria. "So? What about them? Didn't I mention the last time we saw each other that we have nothing to do with that anymore?" "No, it's just that…" Aria paused to formulate the correct words. "Th-the way they sing, it's just like how we used to sing!" As Aria had hoped, Adagio's pink eyes brightened. "What?" "I'm serious! I went to their concert, and they sing just like us! You know, Allegro takes the lead, while the other two members do backup vocals. And their voices blend together perfectly!"

Allegro watched the two girls whispering to themselves urgently and sighed to himself. They'd probably already guessed his identity. At this, he shrugged, bracing himself for the worst. However, the two girls pulled out of their conversation, and turned to face him with smiles on their faces. Even regardless of whether they were crazy Triple Rewinders or not, Allegro's heart leapt once again when he looked at the golden-autumn haired girl. "You're…Allegro, right?" The violet haired girl said. "Lead singer of a famous boy group?" "…Yes?" "We heard you guys sing pretty well. And, uh…we love to sing too." Allegro found himself surprised. "You do?" "Well sort of. We used to sound good," The golden autumn haired girl cut in. "But something happened, and we kind of lost our good voices. So you know, we were wondering if you could tutor us for a bit…" _Tutor?_ Allegro, throughout his career, had never actually tutored anyone before. "Me? But I'm not really…" "It's okay if you don't want to." Said the golden-autumn haired girl, smiling kindly. "But it's just that we love to sing…" Her pink eyes shone in the sunlight, and Allegro couldn't help but be drawn in. "Well, then, sure."

_Yes!_ Aria thought triumphantly. "…But I do have a very tight schedule, being a pop star and all. I can't tutor both of you at the same time." _What?_ Aria's hopes fell again. "Maybe I can go ask my other group mates to help." Allegro suggested helpfully. Aria and Adagio both nodded. "Sure, anything!" Adagio said. "Let's go!" "Hold on," Said Allegro. "I didn't get your names yet." "My name's Aria Blaze." Aria quickly spoke up. "And I'm Adagio Dazzle." Adagio said. As Aria had suspected, Allegro let out a disbelieving laugh. "Your name is Adagio? Really?" "Uh, yeah." Adagio's expression quickly told Allegro that she wasn't joking about her name being the direct opposite of his. "Okay, then. Let's head back to the photo studio. My other group mates should be there now." He said, walking off. Adagio and Aria followed him, pleased. _Finally, we can get our voices back_! Aria thought. _But…oh, wait. Allegro's taking us to his other group mates…_She sighed mentally. _Oh no, not again._

When the three of them returned to the studio, the light of day was already starting to fade. Cleffis had already returned from wherever he had been, and was presently sipping an iced tea. As the three came in, he looked up. "Oh, hey Allegro! Who are..." His voice trailed off when he saw Aria. Aria bit her lip and quickly took a small step behind Allegro. Cleffis, however, got up from his chair, gaping at her. "…Aria?" Allegro and Adagio whipped round to face Aria. "You know him?" Adagio asked in astonishment. Aria sighed and stared at the floor. "You could say that." She muttered. "Why are you here suddenly?" Cleffis asked her, his voice gentle. "Uh…" "Hey, I'm back!" A voice called. Everyone turned to see Concerto come in, someone walking behind him. "Hey Concerto, where have you been?" Allegro asked, as his group mate approached them. "There's someone I really want you guys to meet." Everyone's eyes quickly flashed to the person who was walking behind Concerto. Adagio and Aria's eyes widened. Wait…was that blue hair? Pink eyes? It couldn't be…

"SONATA?!" Sonata jumped at the sudden yell of her name. It was only then she caught sight of none other than Adagio and Aria standing with Allegro and Cleffis. "Oh my-what-"She gasped out, stopping and edging closer to Concerto. Concerto shot her a confused look. "You…know those girls?" He asked. Sonata nodded meekly. "Yeah, I know them. They, uh w-were my fr-"She stopped short." Sch-Schoolmates. Canterlot High, you know…" As far as Sonata remembered, Adagio and Aria had only been her fellow sirens, and were certainly not her friends. They would never see her as a friend. "Concerto, these are Adagio Dazzle and Aria Blaze." She continued, trying to muster up her usual bubbly smile. "And, you are?" Allegro asked, looking at Sonata. "Uhh, Sonata Dusk. Heh." Sonata smiled awkwardly at the others.

"Anyway, Sonata. What are you doing with Concerto?" Aria asked, raising her eyebrow curiously. "She's' my assistant." Concerto replied in answer to her question, patting Sonata on the shoulder as she blushed with embarrassment. "Temporarily of course. I'm teaching her to sing."

_What?!_ Adagio and Aria both gaped at Sonata, who tried her best to avoid their gazes. Concerto went on talking, not noticing how awkward she looked. "We started today. She still needs some practice." He said. However, he stopped when he saw the shocked looks on Adagio and Aria's faces. "What?" "We were thinking the exact same thing!" Adagio said, giving out a forced laugh. "What a coincidence!" "They asked me just now." Allegro explained sheepishly. "But I only have time to teach one of them. Concerto, you can continue to teach Sonata. What about you, Cleffis?" "I'll teach Aria." Cleffis replied without hesitation. He quickly sidled himself up beside her, as she narrowed her eyes at him, not saying a single word. "Okay, so…" Allegro turned to Adagio with a smile. "I guess I'll be the one tutoring you." Adagio smiled back. "Sure. Would it be fine for both me and Aria to act as your assistants like Sonata? We have to do something in exchange for your kindness." Allegro's heart jumped again. "Of course." As everyone was talking excitedly at once, Sonata slowly edged herself to the door, hoping to make an escape from her two former fellow sirens. But she didn't get very far when Adagio yanked her back to stand next to her and Aria. "If you guys don't mind, we're pretty thirsty..." Adagio lied to the three boys. "It's okay, the drink counter's in the next room. Go ahead." Concerto said. "Thanks!" Aria chirped, before they tugged Sonata quickly out of the room.

In the next room, Adagio and Aria faced Sonata, narrowing their eyes at her. "How did you get to them first?" Aria questioned suspiciously. Sonata shrugged, her face pale. "L-look, it's just that…I met Concerto at a café. I mentioned my singing was horrible, and he offered to teach me, so-""Is that it?" Adagio asked, folding her arms in an arrogant manner. Sonata nodded quickly. "Y-yes!" She stuttered, feeling intimidated. Why were they asking her this? Did they think she would have an ulterior motive in getting Concerto to tutor her? However, Sonata saw Adagio's expression change. The golden-autumn haired girl slapped her forehead with a sigh. "I knew it. You're as clueless as always, Sonata." She muttered. Aria stared at Adagio. "Uh…clueless about what?" She asked. Adagio paused and looked at Aria.

"Oh, for goodness sake, you two are unbelievable."

Adagio walked in the middle of Aria and Sonata and pulled them together. "Girls, don't you know what this means?" She asked. Sonata saw that same evil smirk appearing on Adagio's face. _Oh, no…Adagio, please don't…_ "I have no idea." Said Aria. "The last time, we got ourselves defeated by those Rainbooms because all we relied on our magic pendants the whole time." Adagio snapped. "Those were the only objects that we had left from Equestria that was able to contain negative energy and convert Equestrian Magic to a strong source power that we could use!" "Yeah…so?" Sonata asked, her voice quiet and nervous. "Only idiots depend on objects like that!" Adagio replied smoothly, looking rather pleased to take the lead once more. "Those three fools are willing to teach us to sing. If we get our voices back, that'll make things easier when we want to regain our powers. The next time we get defeated, our voices won't be affected." Aria smirked. "Now THAT is a good plan, Adagio." "The Dazzlings are back!" Adagio said, a sinister smile on her face. "Uh, y-yeah…" Sonata mumbled. Both Adagio and Aria turned to stare at Sonata harshly. "Is there something you want to say?" Aria said coldly. The glares coming from both the girls made Sonata swallow and shake her head meekly. "No, I'm fine with that."

But inside, Sonata's heart welled up with dismay. This was not what she had wanted. She didn't want to go back to being a power-hungry siren like Adagio and Aria again. But she had no choice.

_Sigh…here we go again…_


	7. Chapter 7: New Friends, New Rivals

Chapter 7: New Friends, New Rivals

_Perfect. Just perfect,_ Sonata thought, heading down the busy streets with a grim look on her face. By her side, for once in a long while, were Adagio and Aria. They were back to wearing the same outfits they had worn at Canterlot High, like she already was, and both had those same, pleased, "We're gonna rule the world" smirks plastered on their faces. Sonata tried her best not to show how upset she was, now that her power-hungry fellow sirens were back in her life. Now that they had a shot at regaining their powers, Adagio insisted the trio stick together like old times, except during the tutoring. After Sonata had said her apartment couldn't house two more people, Adagio and Aria had rented two more apartments at the motel Sonata was staying at. They had even gotten into an intense argument with the motel manager because there were already people staying in the motel rooms closest to Sonata's, and no matter what the sirens yelled at him, he refused to have these people relocated. Eventually, Adagio and Aria had no choice but to settle for two other apartments that were on the same floor. The only consolation that Sonata had was that these two rooms were situated far down the hallway, a safe distance from hers. But apart from that, Sonata back to being a member of the Dazzlings. A reluctant one, this time.

The night before had changed everything, and now Adagio and Aria were assistants and apprentices to the other two respective members of Triple Rewind. Sonata couldn't help but feel pity for Allegro and Cleffis: the two boys were nothing but mere tools to Adagio and Aria. Concerto, the boy who was tutoring her, meant a lot more to her than just a tool or a mentor. But sadly, he would never notice since he had his eyes on someone else already, and now Sonata's heart still ached every time she remembered how Concerto talked about Cherry Blossom.

Anyway, the three were on their way to meet up with the three boys outside their hotel. They were all excited, obviously-except for Aria. She did want her powers and her voice back, but she definitely wasn't going to stand spending time with her mentor, Cleffis the playboy. Of all three, Cleffis had to choose her. What in the world was that guy's problem? Hadn't she already made it clear to him that she didn't like him? But regardless, she had no choice, regardless of how much she hated his behavior. After all, he was her only chance in getting her voice back. At this thought, Aria swelled up a little and braced herself mentally for any nonsense he could pull on her later on.

"There you are!" Allegro called, seeing the three girls approaching. "Well, we'd better hurry; Triple Rewind's next concert is in six hours' time! Come on, Adagio!" Adagio nodded, hiding an evil grin as she ran over to Allegro. As the two left, Sonata and Concerto shared a hug, as Cleffis walked over to Aria. "Hey." Cleffis said. "Hey." Aria grunted, avoiding his gaze. "So…maybe we try the nearby KTV lounge?" "….sure." "Okay then let's-""Hold on Cleffis. Can I borrow Aria for a moment?" Concerto interrupted. Cleffis nodded. "Yeah." "Thanks." Concerto quickly led Aria a bit further from Cleffis with a cautious look on his face. Aria crossed her arms skeptically. "What is it, Concerto?" "Well, I just….needed to warn you about Cleffis. He has a very bad habit of, uh…flirting. You'll be working very closely with you for a while, so you'd better not fall for his supposed charm." Aria gave a scoff. "Me? Fall for him? Relax, Concerto. I appreciate you warning me, but I knew that guy was trouble the moment I saw him. There's NO way I'll fall for a guy like that!"

Adagio and Allegro left the hotel and walked down the street. Allegro's heart, for some reason, couldn't slow down. _Jeez, what is wrong with you?_ He scolded himself. _Stop!_ Allegro knew perfectly what was wrong with him; he hated and liked it at the same time. He liked it because this was the first time he felt this way, but he hated it because this wasn't supposed to happen. Goodness, what would Show Biz say?! In contrast, however, while Allegro was gradually walking closer and closer to Adagio with every step, Adagio wasn't walking closer to him at all, instead walking stiffly apart from him, head held high. _At last,_ she thought to herself. _We can make this whole world adore us after all! _"So, where are we going, Allegro?" She asked him with a fake friendly grin. Allegro sighed with exasperation. "The, uh…Canterlot Shopping Mall. My manager's waiting for me to do a short autograph session." "Hold on…we're not going to have a singing lesson yet?" "No. Sorry, that will have to wait until later…" Adagio's heart welled up with dismay and impatience, but she quickly tried to force it back down. She had to put up with all this pop star stuff: she was, after all, supposed to act temporarily as Allegro's assistant.

When Allegro and Adagio entered the mall, a black haired guy with dark glasses and a snazzy businessman suit rushed over to greet them. "You're here at last, Allegro!" The man said. Allegro nodded, his facial expression unreadable. "Morning, Mr. Biz." Mr. Biz caught sight of Adagio. "Who's this?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her suspiciously. Adagio, willing to take any kind of challenge, narrowed her eyes back at him. "I'm his new assistant, Mister. I'm supposed to follow him around." She said coldly. Allegro awkwardly stepped between the two. "Ahem, Mr. Biz, this is my new assistant and apprentice, Adagio Dazzle. And Adagio, this is my manager, Mr. Biz." He explained. At this, Mr. Biz leaned backwards, eyeing Adagio. "Okay, you're his assistant, hm? That's fine. But don't get too close to him." He said cheerily. "He already has a-""ALLEGRO!" A high pitched squeal cut off Show Biz's sentence, and a young teenage girl wearing a flashy cocktail dress, heels and large hoop earrings rushed over, enveloping Allegro in a hug. Thousands of fans swarmed over and crowded around them, screaming excitedly. Adagio, taken aback by the sudden chaos, glanced around. Some of the fans were holding signs above their heads which said the word "Alletrine", mostly decorated with hearts or cupid arrows of some sort. _Alletrine? What kind of retarded word is that?_ Thought Adagio, turning back to see the girl still hugging Allegro. Allegro was hugging back, but for some reason, he didn't seem too comfortable. "Hey, Citrine." He mumbled. As the girl finally released Allegro, Adagio walked towards them, crossing her arms. "So, I'm taking it that this girl here is your girlfriend, and that Alletrine is your shipping name?" She asked, unimpressed. "She's not my-"Allegro started to protest, but Citrine quickly cut him off. "Of course he's my boyfriend!" She said, smiling sweetly at Allegro. "And…who are you?" She stared at Adagio, who seemed unfazed by this new supposed threat. "I'm Adagio Dazzle, his new assistant and apprentice. Allegro here is teaching me how to sing." She replied coolly. "Yes." Show Biz agreed with Adagio, hastily tapping Citrine's shoulder. "Don't ruin the impression the public has on you." He hissed into her ear.

As Show Biz whispered to Citrine, Adagio turned to Allegro. "You have a girlfriend?" She asked. Allegro, looking mortified by this question, lowered his tone to answer her. "Only to the public. It's just a stupid publicity stunt to get our group famous." He muttered to her. _A publicity stunt?_ Adagio knew what that was. But before she could answer, Citrine rushed to Allegro's side and linked arms with him happily. "Come on sweetie," She said. "Let's go sign some autographs!" Allegro had no choice but to force out a smile and nod. "Sure." Citrine then turned to Adagio. "And as for you," She said haughtily. "You'd better change your outfit. Spiked boots are so out of fashion." And with that, she and a hapless Allegro strolled off into the crowd of screaming fans. Adagio stared after them, completely and utterly appalled. Regardless of whether she had an evil plan to take over the world or not, one thing was for sure: Adagio Dazzle did not like Citrine Gem.

The KTV lounge that Cleffis and Aria walked into was completely engulfed with flashy lights and music. Teenagers, mostly girls were filling the place. And the minute Cleffis and Aria walked in, there were squeals of excitement all over the place. Aria rolled her eyes as she saw crowds of girls quickly rushing toward them. _Here we go…_She thought to herself. "Omigosh, it's Cleffis Steel!" One girl shrieked. Cleffis, as Aria had expected, flashed a charming smile at the girls, as they giggled and batted their eyelashes at him. "Hi there." He said. Just one greeting like that made some girls squeal loudly again.

"He looks so cute!"

"I'm your biggest fan!"

Shouts of excitement filled the place. One particular girl who was closest walked over and smiled at Cleffis. "Hi, Cleffis." She said with a grin, taking his hand. Cleffis smiled back at her. "Oh, it's you again." He said, pulling her close to him as she giggled like a lunatic. Just watching them made Aria want to throw up. "I'm thirsty." She coldly muttered to Cleffis, pushing her way out of the crowds and heading for a drink table nearby. "Who's that?" She heard the girl's voice behind her. "Oh…she's my assistant." Came Cleffis' answer. Aria rolled her eyes in annoyance_. Did Concerto really expect me to fall for a guy like that? Blech! In his dreams!_

However, what Aria didn't know, was that Cleffis's hazel eyes followed her as she shoved her way out of the large swarm of fans. And suddenly, an uneasy feeling was washing over him, clinging to him such that he immediately found himself dropping his fan's hand at his own accord. "Are you okay?" The girl asked him, sensing his sudden change in feeling. "…Yeah, I'm okay." He told her. But despite this, his eyes quickly flitted over to Aria's disappearing form in the crowd a distance away.

Was he feeling…guilty?


	8. Chapter 8: Secrets

Chapter 8: Secrets

"Quite an improvement you made today." Concerto told Sonata as they walked back to Amethyst Concert Hall. "You managed to sing in tune a bit better than our first session." Sonata nodded, a fake cheery look on her face. Morning had passed in a flash, and for her it hadn't been a good one. She'd managed to get her progress in singing a little more ahead of Adagio and Aria's, but while she was happy about that bit, Concerto had spent a large period of their lesson talking and talking about Cherry Blossom. To be honest, though Sonata sympathized with Concerto for having his heart broken like that, she felt that it was hopeless for him to keep pining for his ex like that. And….it hurt. Concerto didn't realise it, but it hurt, every time he mentioned Cherry. _I miss her…_Concerto's voice once again resonated in Sonata's head, and tears stung her eyes. _Please stop…_ "Are you alright? You're tearing." Concerto said, looking at her in concern. Sonata blinked, quickly drying her eyes with her hand. "No, I'm fine. The sun is in my eyes." She said, motioning to the bright sun glaring down at them from above. Concerto shrugged. "Oh. Hot day, huh?" "Yep." Hurt welled up in Sonata's heart. _He'll never notice me the way I do._

**In the Amethyst Concert Hall**

"So, how was your time with Clefford?" Adagio asked Aria backstage, as Allegro and Cleffis headed to their separate dressing rooms to prepare for their next concert. Aria scowled, making a face. "Ugh, horrible. Cleffis didn't teach me to sing at all. He was way too busy flirting around with his fan girls." Adagio made a face of disgust. "Ewww! What a jerk!" She commented, grimacing. "How about your time with Allegro?" Aria asked. "I bet it wasn't as bad as mine." The moment Adagio heard Aria's words, Citrine's arrogant expression popped back into her mind, making her scowl and clench her fist. "…what?" Aria asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. _Don't tell me Allegro's just like Cleffis!_ Adagio's reply came out as an angry growl. "I met the most stuck-up, snobby celebrity ever at the shopping mall. She made fun of my boots." Well, that sounded normal to Aria. Adagio was bound to rant about something like that, given she was almost as uptight about fashion as that stupid purple haired girl from the Rainbooms. "Jeez!" Adagio muttered, her pink eyes glittering with hate as she recalled what had happened. "Not to mention that girl is supposed to be Allegro's fake girlfriend! I can't stand the sight of her now!" "Hold on, Allegro has a fake girlfriend?" Aria stared at her leader, baffled. "What do you mean fake?" "His manager got him to pretend to be in love with this teenage model named Citrine in order for the band to gain publicity." Adagio said with a shrug. "Don't get me wrong, though: he can't stand her either." _Ughhhh,_ Aria thought. _I would never want to be managed by someone like that. _It only occurred to her now that she hadn't met Triple Rewind's manager yet. "Did you meet his manager?" She quickly asked Adagio. Adagio's scowl deepened. "Yes. He's an idiot, just like Citrine." "Who's an idiot now?" A voice said. Startled, both girls turned to see Concerto and Sonata entering the stage door. "You'd better be careful." Concerto warned. "Mr. Biz could be here any minute now. You should keep your volume down if you want to say that stuff about him. But I'm not really disagreeing with you though, concerning Allegro." He patted Sonata on the shoulder. "I gotta go get ready for the show." He told her softly. "See ya." Sonata gave him a small wave as he went off. "Bye…" Aria observed Sonata's expression. Wait…was Sonata actually smiling?! A real, natural smile?! "Why are you looking at him like that?" Aria found herself blurting out. Realising Aria had noticed, Sonata's expression turned from happy to startled. "Looking at him like what?" She asked, dropping her smile. Adagio, who had stopped grumbling after hearing Aria's question to Sonata, walked over to the siren and peered hard at her face. Her eyes widened in complete disbelief.

"Were you actually enjoying your time with that guy?"

"Wha-what do you mean by that?" Sonata said. "No!"

"You're turning pale." Adagio replied haughtily. "You DID enjoy your time with that guy!" Sonata sighed in defeat. "Oh, dear…" "Sonata, our one and only goal here is to get our voices and powers back. We don't have any time for any ridiculous sentiments like friendship. It's a weakness!" Adagio snapped, towering over Sonata in an intimidating manner. Sonata recoiled, letting out a whimper that was barely inaudible. Aria stood by, watching the blue haired girl shrinking away from their golden haired leader. For some reason, she didn't feel like partaking in the confrontation. "B-but-" Sonata stuttered fearfully. "You're not in love with Concerto, are you?!" Adagio questioned fiercely. "I'm not!" Sonata quickly protested, eyes wide. Adagio leaned closer to Sonata's face, her pink eyes ablaze with fury. Sonata gulped. _Oh, no._

"She's not in love with Concerto." Aria said. Sonata and Adagio turned to look at her as she stood there crossing her arms. Adagio's eyes flashed. "She's not?" "Trust me, she isn't." Aria said firmly. Adagio processed this for a moment before scowling and retreating from her intimidating posture to a relaxed one. "Fine." She said. "But you'd better not grow too close to him. Got it?" Sonata quickly nodded. "Yes." As Adagio walked off, Sonata sat down quietly against the wall, avoiding Aria's gaze. _Adagio's on my tail._ She thought to herself with alarm. _What should I do?_ Her first thought was to perhaps try her best to conceal her feelings for Concerto, but she knew she would find it very difficult. As for getting over him, it was just as hard. After a while, Sonata decided that maybe it was best to think over this slowly. But still, something else nagged at her. How did Aria know whether she was in love with Concerto or not? Perhaps…Aria didn't know and had been defending her on purpose? No, that couldn't be. Aria was just like Adagio: she would never defend the siren she always called 'the worst'.

Aria, however, found herself surprised at how amazingly calm she was feeling now. Had…had she just helped Sonata? Aria didn't know for sure if Sonata really was developing a crush on Concerto or not, but for some reason, Aria couldn't stand by and watch Adagio stare down at Sonata like that. _What's happening to me?_

Cleffis peered at himself in the mirror. _You look fine, you idiot,_ he could hear a voice telling him in his head. _Hurry up and wear your jacket._ Cleffis walked over, grabbed a silver jacket hanging from the doorknob, and hurriedly put it on. As he did so, he unsuccessfully attempted to shake off the feelings from this morning, but the guilt continued to cling onto him like a giant leech. Just what was it about Aria that was making him feel like this? Cleffis pondered this as he tried to put on his sneakers. He had gone through a lot of girls in his career, but never had a girl affected him like this. _Now wait a second… _Cleffis paused, wires suddenly connecting in his head. _I'm in love with her, aren't I? _He wasn't expecting an answer, but as he reached for the doorknob, Cleffis knew perfectly that the answer was 'yes'.

"You'll be okay waiting in here until the concert finishes?" Concerto asked. Sonata smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just need something to pass the time…" "I think I have something." Concerto went over to his bag, hanging on a peg on the wall of his dressing room. Rummaging through the bag, he pulled out a book. "You like reading?" He asked her. Sonata shrugged. "Ummm…I'm alright with it." She decided. Concerto smiled and handed her the book. "It's a book of Grimm's fairytales. It's not the children's version, so it should be okay for you to read. Just don't damage it; it's one of my favourites." "Thanks, I won't!" Sonata took the book as Concerto disappeared out the door, a distant screaming of fans following soon after. Walking over and sitting herself in a chair, Sonata looked through the book. _Huh,_ she thought, _not bad for a bunch of fairytales. _Just as she was flipping the pages, a piece of writing paper fell out and drifted onto the floor. "Whoops!" Sonata gasped, quickly bending over and fishing it back up. However, something on that writing paper caught her eye.

_Time to run, run and flee_

_Into a magic fantasy_

_Fairytale worlds that don't exist_

_But in your head, they do_

_What?_ Sonata peered closely at the handwritten words, forgetting that this was Concerto's book and that she, as his assistant, was supposed to be respecting his privacy. Each sentence rhymed with the next sentence perfectly. _Is…this poetry or something?_ Sonata re read the lines over and over. Hold on…this didn't seem so much like poetry. The word 'Chorus' was written above the stanza in big bold marker ink. Was this stanza supposed to be part of a song?


	9. Chapter 9: Changing

Chapter 9: Changing

"Thank you for coming, and good bye!" Allegro called to the cheering crowds as the concert came to an end. Him, Cleffis and Concerto bowed, and the curtains closed. "Jeez, I really need to check how Aria is doing." Cleffis muttered as they headed offstage. "I haven't taught her anything yet." "Yeah, me too." Allegro said. "I was too busy this morning with that autograph session with Citrine." Adagio's face reappeared in his mind again. He knew he had to start on those singing lessons soon; he didn't want to disappoint her.

Adagio was hanging around backstage, folding her arms and looking around haughtily and impatiently. _What's taking that guy so long?_ She thought to herself. _He didn't teach me a single thing yet! _If that red haired fool delayed their singing lessons any longer, she and her fellow sirens would have to put up longer with those three boys, and while Aria was stuck with a detestable love killer, Sonata seemed to be straying further away from their goal with each passing hour. Adagio didn't know for sure how close Sonata had been getting to Concerto, given that Aria had been so certain there was no romantic attraction between the two, but she wasn't going to let Sonata take the execution of their plan so casually. She was a SIREN, for goodness sake, not a normal human! Sometimes, Adagio really thought that Sonata had some mental problems… "Hey Adagio!" Adagio snapped out of her thoughts as Allegro, dressed back in his normal outfit, appeared round the corner. "Oh hey Allegro." Adagio said. "I think we can head off somewhere to have your first singing lesson." Allegro told her, walking over. "Would that be okay?" "Yeah, sure!" Adagio answered, putting on another fake smile on her face. _At least it's somewhere Citrine won't be at,_ she thought to herself in disgust. _One idiot to put up with is better than two._ However, on Allegro's side, he couldn't help feeling exhilarated. Forget his fake girlfriend Citrine; he was going to spend time with someone that he really liked…not someone he had to pretend to like. His heart beat faster once more as Adagio looked up at him, and for a very brief moment, her rose pink eyes met his turquoise ones. Adagio quickly flitted her eyes away from his. "Should we get going..?" "Hmm…? Yeah, sure." Allegro blinked before nodding. But what both didn't know was that Sonata was secretly eavesdropping on them from Concerto's dressing room. Her heart was filled with pity for Allegro. She could easily hear from his voice that he had an attraction of some sort to the golden haired siren, but unluckily for him, Adagio saw him as nothing more than her singing tutor. Sonata, though she feared her leader, hugged Concerto's Grimm fairytales book and sighed, silently praying that Adagio would wake up one day to what she had rather than what she didn't.

Cleffis hurriedly walked around the backstage area, trying to find his assistant. "Goodness, Aria, where did you go off to?" He muttered to himself, glancing around. He already knew that she didn't really like him…but seriously, where had she gone?! As Cleffis passed the janitor's closet behind, he heard a screechy, high pitched wining coming from inside. The tiny hairs on Cleffis's arms stood up. Whatever sound that was, it sounded a lot like a dying cat! Cleffis made an appalled face, and was about to walk on but stopped, as he processed the sound slowly. Hang on…he could hear words being formed in the screeching.

_Wee-ee we-eell be ah-dorred_

_Tell us that yew want us_

_Wee-ee woo-een't be egg-norred_

_Eets time for our ree-waad_

_What in the world?_ Cleffis thought. Was someone singing in there? Curious, Cleffis softly put his hand on the doorknob, and slowly opened the door. The second the door fully opened, the singing abruptly came to a stop, and to Cleffis's disbelief, he found himself face to face with…Aria Blaze?! The girl gasped in horror and swiftly clapped her hands over her mouth when she saw him. For a moment, the two were frozen in place, too shocked to do anything as both of their minds suddenly came to a halt. "… Cleffis?" Aria finally broke the awkward silence, a look of nervousness on her face. "…Aria…" Cleffis was at a loss of what to say. Aria's face turned deep tomato red that was quite visible in her purple skin. This couldn't be good…now that Cleffis had already heard what she sounded like, would he give up on her without even teaching her a single thing? Her head snapped up when Cleffis spoke again. "…Wow…your voice…it's that bad, huh?" He asked. Aria, now too ashamed to meet his gaze, nodded slowly. "My voice used to be perfect…" She mumbled. "What…what happened?" Aria had expected Cleffis to turn away and call off her singing lessons with him, but instead he seemed concerned. And although Aria reminded herself that she couldn't trust a boy like him, she found herself pouring out the basic story to him. "Well…some time ago, Adagio, Sonata and I were a musical group taking part in a school competition. We were great, until we reached the finals. The group we were up against…" Aria paused, flinching as she remembered the giant stardust alicorn from the Rainboom's magic, blasting her siren projection and her gem into bits. "…They beat us quite badly. And when we got back up and tried to sing again after that…our beautiful voices had just…gone." There was more silence for a few more minutes, before Cleffis extended a hand and pulled her out of the closet. "Well, let's go Aria." Cleffis said. "Huh? Wha-?" Aria was confused. "Where are we-?" "I think I know just the place we need to go." He explained, pulling her out of the back door. "And it's NOT the KTV lounge."

Cleffis led Aria down the street, hood pulled over his head. Aria had no choice but to follow…but something seemed strange. When Cleffis walked around, he usually held his head high and kept his head, face and everything visible so that his fans would see him…so why was he pulling his hood over his head now? Aria shrugged, guessing he probably had some stupid, ignorant excuse for doing so. And for the rest of the journey, Aria let Cleffis lead her, and after ten minutes, the two arrived at a large, old fashioned looking building. From the outside, it looked like some kind of opera house or something. "What is this place?" Aria asked curiously. "It's the Daffodil Opera house." Cleffis explained. "When I was a kid, every time I visited Canterlot, I always came to this place. My parents were classical music lovers, and they always came here to watch orchestra concerts. When I came with them, the music and notes which I heard actually inspired and helped me to improve my singing and become a singer." "…Really?" Aria looked at the boy sceptically, not really believing what he was saying. How was listening to classical music supposed to help someone sing pop music? The puzzle pieces didn't seem to fit. "Yep." Cleffis replied, his facial expression serious. "Let's go." He started to walk, before pausing and turning to Aria. "Oh, and one more thing- this time, there'll be no fan girls." Aria walked after him, eyebrow raised sarcastically. She appreciated Cleffis really trying to help her but…no matter, he was still a cocky playboy, and she still had to be careful around him.

When they entered the concert hall, Aria couldn't help gazing around her in wonder. In all her years as a siren, she had never visited a place with such a majestic, grand view. The stage was rather large, with red velvet curtains at each side, and to its left, right and bottom, the spaces were lined with rows of seats. The opera house could probably hold almost everyone who lived in Canterlot! There were hardly anyone around, and no fan girls in sight, and so Aria snuck a glance at Cleffis. He was looking around with the same look of wonder and awe that she had, and his eyes were filled with nostalgia from his childhood days. "So where are we going to have our lesson?" She asked Cleffis. Cleffis peered round before replying her. "Backstage should be clear now." He said, motioning to the stage. "If I'm not wrong, it should be still there." "What's still there?" "You'll see. Come on." Cleffis quickly headed backstage with Aria in tow.

Once they were backstage, Aria's eyes widened. Behind the wall of the stage sat a grand piano. The top cover had been taken off and was nowhere to be seen, however Cleffis sat down at it's worn out leather seat and tested the piano keys. "Huh." He remarked. "It's still in tune after so long." "…Why is this piano here?" Aria asked. "I think it was originally used for concerts." Cleffis said. "But after the guys brought a new one, this one was put behind here as a spare." "And, one more thing. Are we allowed backstage?" "You bet. My family's been visiting this place for years, remember?" Cleffis smiled. "For some reason, we got special access to this place because of that." He shifted himself on the seat a little and motioned for Aria to sit down next to him, and pulling up his bag, he dug around in it and pulled out a book of scores. "Should we start now?" He asked Aria. "Yeah...sure." She answered. For some reason, while she said this, her mind also quietly debated as to whether Cleffis was a good or bad person.


	10. Chapter 10: The Pain Of Lovesickness

Chapter 10: The Pain Of Lovesickness

"So, where is this place you're talking about?" Allegro asked, as he and Adagio exited the concert hall and walked down the street. "Shouldn't be far." Adagio muttered. "I visited this place many times, and it should be-"Adagio paused when she spotted a rather familiar taco stand. "Excuse me for a minute." She said quickly to Allegro, before walking over to the taco stand. "One taco, please." She said, holding out a few coins. The taco vendor broke into a smile when he saw her. "Oh, hello again, miss!" He said. "Another taco, eh? Coming right up!" "Mhm." Adagio somehow felt a little moved that the taco vendor had actually managed to remember her from her first time ordering. "You have good memory." "Maybe one taco for me too, sir." Adagio turned in surprise to see Allegro stepping next to her. The taco vendor whipped round from taking a taco shell in disbelief. "Goodness me, its Allegro Flare!" He said, extending a hand towards the pop star. With a slightly embarrassed look on his face, Allegro shook the taco vendor's hand. "Hi." He handed the taco vendor a few coins. "I see you've already met Adagio." "Adagio?" The taco vendor turned to Adagio. "That's your name?" Adagio nodded. "Yes." "You know Allegro?" "Well, uh…yes." The taco vendor spooned some condiments into the taco shells, and then looked from Adagio to Allegro and back again. "Are you two…?" Both shook their heads. "No, we're not going out or anything." Allegro said, patting Adagio on the shoulder. "I'm teaching her to sing." "Oh, I see." The man smiled, handing the two tacos over to them. "Besides, you're already dating Citrine, right?" "Yep." Allegro responded, hiding the dismay in his voice. "So…see ya." The taco vendor waved to them as they walked on.

"Guess you really know how to put on a show, huh?" Adagio asked as they walked. Allegro sighed and shook his head. "…What choice do I have?" Mr. Biz wants the world to think I'm going out with that bimbo." He muttered. Despite the fact that Adagio was only using Allegro as part of her plan for worldwide adoration, she found herself feeling a tinge of pity for Allegro. "Well, uh, I'm sorry you have to put up with a girl like that." She said, without much thought. "It must be hard on you." Allegro looked at Adagio and smiled. "Nah, it's fine, Adagio. I just need to get used to it." _And I need to get used to…this,_ Allegro thought, his heart pace quickening once more. He knew perfectly well why he still felt like this around her, but…was it just infatuation, or love? He wasn't sure.

At the same time, Adagio felt her cheeks grow warm as something dawned on her. Those words of comfort she had spoken to Allegro just a few minutes ago… Compared to the many dramatic, emotionally packed movies she had watched in the many years she had spent in exile in this place, her words were considered simple to say and perhaps the most decent of heartfelt comforting statements. But there was one thing: those words were the first words of comfort and sympathy that had ever left her lips. It had never been her…thing…to say things like that, not to anyone, not even Aria or Sonata. So why the sudden sentiment? Just what was so special about Allegro Flare? At that, Adagio quickly pushed away the thought. _Don't you DARE think about such things!_ She scolded herself. Like she had told Sonata, their plan for world adoration had no room for other emotions or desires.

_Take on me (take on me)_

_Take me on (Take on me)_

_I'll be gone_

_Do-do-do_

_Take…._

"Heyyy, I like this song!" Sonata chirped cheerfully, head swaying slightly to the upbeat tempo of the 80s tune which Concerto was playing out of his phone. "It's so catchy!" Concerto chuckled at Sonata comments. "I'm glad you like the song, Sonata." He said. "It was my father's favourite song during his teenage years. When I was nine, he passed his love of this song down to me. He said it cheered him up on bad days, and hopefully it would do the same for me." "So…did it?" "Yeah, it sure did." Concerto and Sonata, upon deciding that quiet places surrounded by nature would be the best place for them to have their singing lessons, were at a peaceful garden. They were sitting at a ceramic picnic table, sharing songs, and since there was hardly anyone around, Sonata had practiced her singing several times. Yes, her voice was still rather raspy and croaky, but at least she was gradually getting back in tune. "This song really helped me get through my terrible break up with-" Concerto paused when he saw a pale-lilac haired teenager walking past. "Oh, hey Cherry!" He said. Cherry turned around and smiled. "Oh, hey Concerto." She said, walking over. Sonata's heart sank_. Oh, boy…_ She quietly took a deep breath and forced a natural looking smile. "Hey, Cherry." She greeted cheerfully. As Sonata had expected, there was a slight glint of jealousy in Cherry's amber eyes when the girl noticed her sitting with Concerto. "Oh, hey Sonata." She said, the cheerfulness in her voice lessening a little. "What are you two doing here?" "We're-""On a date." Concerto interrupted Sonata's sentence. Quickly, Sonata nodded. "Yep." Cherry looked at the two of them in surprise. "Oh, okay…so I guess I'd better leave you two alone…" "No-no-no, it's okay." Concerto said. "You can stay." He looked at Sonata, who threw on a smile and nodded. "Of course." "thanks." Cherry smiled, and as if to make things worse for Sonata, she sat right next to Concerto, who smiled back at her. Pain welled up in Sonata's heart seeing the two of them so close in such a way. Before she could change her mind, she spoke. "Concerto, hey, I'm getting thirsty. Can I go off to get a drink for a while?" "Oh sure." Casting a brief glance at Cherry, he decided to act like a caring boyfriend. "You need me to go with you?" He asked her. Sonata smiled and shook her head. "There's no need to, I'll be fine. See you later." She waved at Concerto and walked off. Concerto turned and smiled at Cherry. "Guess we can catch up a bit now, huh?" He asked. "Sure!" Cherry said, her face brighter than before now that Concerto's 'girlfriend' was temporarily out of the picture. Concerto felt pleased that his plan seemed to be working. If he and Sonata could just make Cherry jealous even further… wait, something was not right here. Concerto replayed the last few minutes that had just passed within his mind. He remembered Sonata's expression moments earlier. Even thought she had a cheery smile on her face, there seemed to be something hidden deeper in her eyes, which, if Concerto remembered correctly, looked like…dismay? That was strange. Nothing relatively bad had occurred so far, so what could be troubling his assistant? _Nah, I must have been seeing things,_ Concerto thought, quickly brushing it away.

Sonata, once out of sight from Concerto and Cherry, quickened her footsteps, trying to suppress the pain she felt. At the same time, she walked aimlessly along the path, not caring where ti was leading her. Concerto… Him liking someone else was bad enough, but now that someone else was getting jealous and vying for Concerto's attention. Worse of all, this was what Concerto had hoped for all along! It was good for him, but… not for her. Sonata bit her lip as a single tear welled up in her eye and trailed down her cheek: the only visible symbol of her sorrow. _I can't believe it…why doesn't Concerto have a single clue that I like him…_ There was absolutely no way she could confess to him; she couldn't handle a rejection, and in addition doing that would also anger Adagio and Aria if they caught wind of it. _Then…should I walk away? From this?_ Sonata sighed. No…I can't. Despite all her sadness, all Sonata wanted was for Concerto Dawn to be happy…but for her membership in the Dazzlings, that was an entirely different matter. Adagio and Aria only cared about power and nothing else, such that anyone whom they saw as an obstacle would be quickly eliminated. In fact, there could've been four members of The Dazzlings if…oh yes…her. Sonata cringed as the memories from her days in Equestria flooded back to her.

"_Are you trying to be a traitor?"_ Adagio's angry voice echoed in Sonata's head.

"_No I'm not! I just can't live with sowing discord amongst everypony and feeding off their negativity! I know that I'm a siren too, but… It's not right!"_ The voice of a siren which Sonata hadn't thought of for years firmly answered Adagio's question. _"But if you find my opinion strongly disagreeable, then yeah. I am a traitor."_

Sonata could almost picture Adagio and Aria's angry, intense glares from that day so long ago.

"_Ugh, told you she wasn't one of us." _Sonata heard Aria mutter resentfully to Adagio. "I couldn't agree more, Aria." Adagio said. "Traitors don't belong in our group. Silver, leave. Now." For a fleeting moment, the 'traitor's' expression of dismay appeared in Sonata's mind. After a moment of silence, Silver spoke again. "Fine, if it'll make you happy. Bye." Her voice was cold, and this was promptly followed by the sound of hoof steps echoing away. As the sounds of the memory faded, Sonata couldn't help but shed more tears. Silver could be anywhere in Equestria now since Adagio had kicked her out before their attempt to conquer Equestria. It had been years, and Sonata realised, with a pang of guilt, that she had gotten used to a group of three sirens instead of four. But she now understood that Silver had been right to stand up to Adagio after all, and not to mention she had been Sonata's closest friend out of the four sirens. However, Sonata believed that she herself could never have the courage Silver had.

Suddenly, a flash of silver from behind a nearby tree caught Sonata's eye. "Huh?" She whisked her eyes to the tree. "Who's there?" A long period of silence followed. Sonata shrugged dismissively. "Meh. I must be seeing things." She said to herself, walking off.

As Sonata walked off, a girl with silver, blue streaked hair tied into a curly ponytail peeked out from behind the tree, her fiery autumn eyes staring in disbelief at the blue haired girl's disappearing form. "Could it be her?" The girl mumbled to herself. "Looks awfully a lot like her. But if she's here, that means…" The girl sighed. "I knew it. They were the ones causing the arguments and fights in all the cafeterias and restaurants around here! Jeez…" The girl moved her hand to her neck, fingering a pendant which hung there. The pendant was almost similar to the Dazzlings' pendants, except for one thing. Rather than the Dazzlings' signature red, this pendant flaunted a shade of bright blue. "…Always getting others to clean up things up after them." She muttered to herself, as the pendant glowed blue in agreement.

**Splashfire99:** I'll reveal more about this 'Silver' character in the next chapters…I think…


	11. Chapter 11: All Tuned Up

**Chapter 11: All Tuned Up**

"... Why are we in a shopping mall?" Allegro asked, cautiously keeping his hood over his head as Adagio led him up an escalator. "The place I've been thinking about is right at the top floor of this mall." She told him bluntly as they walked on. "Just bear with it." As the two walked through the mall, the thumping of Allegro's heart and the fluttering in his stomach showed no signs of slowing down. As Adagio walked, her golden curly hair swayed from side to side, and Allegro couldn't help but be entranced by it. This girl...there was something...special about her...

On the flipside, however, Adagio found herself disturbed. As she led Triple Rewind' s leader up to the top floor, she couldn't help but sense his bluish green eyes seemingly burning into her hair. _Ugh, why does he keep watching me like this?_ She thought. She knew for sure Allegro had to pay attention to where she was taking him, but there was something about the way he looked at her that seemed strange. _Why am I even thinking about this? All I need from him is a way to get my voice back!__  
_

A few minutes later, Allegro and Adagio emerged from the top floor of the shopping mall into an open space. "Whoa..." Allegro glanced around. "Is this a greenhouse?" "Yes." Adagio answered, not giving him any eye contact. "Guess you like peace and quiet, huh?" Allegro asked. He didn't see Adagio roll her eyes. "No, I just come up here to be alone after Aria and Sonata get on my nerves." "Get on your nerves?" Allegro said. He barely saw Adagio's two schoolmates, but they seemed pleasant. "Aria and Sonata seem okay to me." Adagio let out a disbelieving laugh. "Oh please. You should hear them arguing." Adagio pulled Allegro past the lush green hedges, and various colourful blossoms which grew out of the trees and grass. "We can sit here," She said, pointing to a glass table with chairs. Taking a seat opposite the golden haired girl, it was then which Allegro realised that he had never once heard Adagio sing yet, even though she said she loved to. "Hey, do you mind singing a little for me? I haven't heard you yet." He said. For some reason, Adagio seemed rather taken aback by this question. "Well, I..." "It's okay, I won't laugh or anything." Allegro said reassuringly. Adagio processed this reassurance for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and releasing a rather shaky sigh. "Fine..." She parted her lips and started to vocalise.

_Aaaa-aaaa-aah__  
__Aaaa- aaah__  
__Aaaa- aaa-aaah__  
__Aaaa-aaah__  
_

Adagio's face burned with embarrassment as she sang her siren song, watching Allegro grimace at her whiny, hoarse voice. It had been easier with her pendant around, but now... Adagio nervously looked down at her boots, face becoming redder by the second. By singing to someone other than Aria and Sonata after their defeat, she had also practically thrown her own pride out of the window. _But hey, that wasn't as bad as being booed and pelted by food onstage, right?_ Adagio thought, remembering the incident. However, it wasn't helping her right now. Allegro seemed to be at a loss for words."... You know, maybe if you work on that a little more, you'll get your old voice back." Adagio's head shot up in confusion. "Huh?" She had expected some form of criticism from the pop group's leader, but in contrast, she was hearing encouragement. Allegro noticed her expression. "Don't give me that look, Adagio. I'm being honest here." He gave her a warm smile, and the ex-siren couldn't help but envy him a little. No wonder he was so adored by girls: he was such a nice person. "So...shall we start?" Allegro asked her. Adagio nodded. "Sure!" Finally: this would be the first of many lessons for her to regain her magic!

Adagio paid close attention as Allegro started to explain to her the basic notes to hit, and the keys. The boy vocalised a note a couple of times, before prompting her to follow him. Rather reluctantly, Adagio followed, trying her best to hit the right keys. She was still rather upset from her embarrassing solo moments earlier, but...there something with Allegro's encouraging smile which soothed the embarrassment. Adagio had to admit...he was a nice person to be with. And even though his character made him like the Rainbooms- that ridiculous group of goody two shoes-for some reason, now it was a comfort to her. It felt good to be treated like this. Very gradually, she could hear her voice coming back in tune with Allegro's vocals. As the pair vocalised together, a strong gust of wind blew past, rustling through the trees above them. Bright, autumn blossoms floated out from the tree above them, carried by the breeze. When the blossoms floated within reach, Allegro reached out, plucked one out of the air, and held it out to Adagio as she vocalised with him. Adagio looked at him in surprise, before slowly putting out one hand and accepting the blossom. And as she did so, she found herself smiling as the pair's vocals rang throughout the garden.

**That Night****  
**

"Never knew you could play the piano." Arai commented, as she and Cleffis left the theatre. Cleffis smiled and shrugged. "Only the basics. If you want an expert, that would be Concerto." Aria remembered: Concerto was the one whom had warned her about Cleffis that morning, and was the boy which Sonata seemed to have a crush on. Yes, Arai had told Adagio that Sonata had no feelings for Concerto, but that was only because Adagio had been intimidating her. Actually, Aria herself had suspicions that the Cupid's arrow had indeed found its mark on the siren. "Has Concerto ever played piano during concerts before?" Aria asked out of curiosity. "Yeah, he has. We let him sometimes. After all, he does need some help to get his mind off Cherry..." "Who's Cherry?" Aria said. Cleffis hesitated for a second, before sighing as they walked along the darkly lit street. "Concerto's ex. She broke up with him because she didn't love him anymore. Concerto's always said he's over her, but it's obvious he isn't." "Huh? Really?" Aria was flabbergasted. "What's the matter?" Cleffis asked, looking over at her in concern. "Nothing." She swiftly lied. However, she found herself shocked and somewhat dismayed by the sudden update. Not that she wanted to interfere with another's love life, but...if Sonata really liked Concerto, then... _Hang on...why am I even caring about Sonata?_ Aria thought in bewilderment. Unfortunately, her train of thoughts was broken when loud, excited screams filled the air.

Cleffis and Aria both looked around, startled, as a group of girls clambered around them, shrieking happily like escapees from an asylum. Aria rolled her eyes, easily recognizing quite a number of them from the KTV lounge.

"Hi Cleffis!" A girl with painfully pink hair cried ecstatically, waving at the silver haired boy from near the back of the group. Cleffis, now feeling a bit awkward compared to this morning, managed a wave. "Ummm...hi." "Hey, Cleffis." A pretty indigo haired girl with striking turquoise eyes sashayed over to him like a model. "You free? I know a great movie we can watch..." Cleffis was very tempted to accept the girl's invitation. He could see Aria, having been jostled away from him and out of the crowd, folding her arms and looking away.

"I'd love to...but I'd rather stick with Aria tonight."

Concerto and Sonata walked side by side back to the motel. Concerto was still feeling a little light headed from what had happened this morning. He'd finally managed to talk to Cherry properly for the first time after she'd broken up with him. His heart fluttered at the thought of her still. Despite that, something else bothered him. After buying a drink and returning to him that morning, Sonata had stayed silent for almost the rest of the day. Had something happened? Concerto had asked her a couple times, but she had said she was tired. I hope she'll cheer up soon, Concerto thought, looking ahead.

Sonata wasn't thinking at all about Concerto or Cherry right now. Presently, she was miles away in a world of her own, lost in the sea of her memories and almost struggling to keep herself afloat.

**Flashback(Many Years Ago)****  
**

_Sonata trotted through the Everfree Forest, whistling relaxedly as she gazed at the flora and fauna around her. "We will be adored, tell us that you want us..." She sang softly to herself. Having recently just indulged in a rather satisfying meal of negative energy at a small town nearby, Adagio and Aria had reluctantly allowed Sonata to take a short stroll alone. She had to walk in pony form, of course, lest anypony find them, and to be safe, she had also hidden her pendant in a blue bag she was carrying. The last thing she had heard before she left was that Adagio had been considering finding a fourth siren to recruit, believing that they'd be more powerful that way and they'd have more negativity to feast on. On Sonata's side, she didn't really care though. She was only with Adagio and Aria because there was nothing else for her to do, so she didn't see the need for a fourth member just yet...__  
_

'_Aaaaaa-aaaaaa__ '__  
__'Aaaaaa- aaaaaa__ '__  
_

_Sonata's ears pricked up at the faint melody that suddenly flowed into her ears. She glanced around in astonishment. Somepony nearby was vocalising.__  
_

'_Aaaaaa-aaaaaa__ '__  
__'Aaaaaa- aaaaaa'__  
_

_As she listened, Sonata, despite being a siren, found herself entranced by the voice. It was light and younger sounding than Adagio, almost like her own voice, except that this voice was more tenacious and unique.__  
_

'_Aaaaaa-aaaaaa__ '__  
__'Aaaaaa- aaaaaa'__  
_

_Out of curiosity, Sonata stealthily tracked down the source of the sound. She quietly cantered off the forest path. Through a cluster of bushes, Sonata caught sight of a grey pony standing in a clearing of small plants and flowers. It was a mare with silver, blue streaked hair tied into a ponytail with a dark pink band. Her cutie mark was visibly a silver guitar pick with three grey bar lines and a dark grey quaver rest on it. She had her back faced to Sonata, and she was swaying slightly as she vocalised. Amazed, Sonata took a step forward...accidentally stepping on a twig. A loud crack echoed through the clearing, startling both Sonata and the mare. The mare spun round in fright, and it was then that Sonata caught sight of a familiar scarlet-red gem hanging around the mare's neck. "What? Wha-" The startled pony took a few steps back from the stranger. "Who are you? Don't come near me!" She said fearfully, lifting front hoof in an attempt to hide her pendant. "It's okay, it's okay!" Sonata quickly took her pendant from her bag and showed it to the mare. "I have one too." The silver maned siren heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Sonata's pendant. "You're a...siren too?" Sonata nodded with a warm smile. "Yep. I'm Sonata Dusk. You?" The mare smiled back. "My name's Silver Ballad."__  
_

**End of Flashback**

Suddenly, Sonata felt the sudden longing to see her lost friend again. But where could she be...? "You sure you're okay?" Sonata was abruptly yanked out of her sea of memories by Concerto's question. "No, I'm fine." She quickly reassured him. She decided to bring up another subject.

"Anyway, Concerto, when I was reading that book you gave me... I found a few sheets of some kind of song lyrics wedged in there."

Concerto almost stopped in his tracks.

"You did?"

"Yep. I liked them. Did you write them?"

After a moment's hesitation, Concerto gave an answer.

"...Uh-huh."

"So, you actually write songs?"

"Yeah, But not professionally, I guess. I don't really think the songs I write are good enough..." "So you've never written a song for Triple Rewind before?"

"No." Sonata gave him a nudge of encouragement. "You really should write a song for your group. They're impressive." She looked from Concerto to see that they had already arrived at the old motel. "Oh, we're here. I'll see you tomorrow, Concerto!" "Sure. Good night, Sonata." Concerto waved to her as she ran off into the motel. Her words echoed in his head.

_You really should write a song for your group..._


	12. Chapter 12: It's Personal

**Chapter 12: It's Personal****  
**

**Splashfire99: **I was trying to come up with a way for Aria to kind of consider the fact that she did like Cleffis. At the same time, I happened upon a song from Disney's Hercules. Thus, this idea was created. Song does not belong to me.

Aria tossed and turned in bed. It was already one hour before midnight, and she was unable to sleep. The incident that had just occurred was still replaying in her mind: Cleffis had said something she couldn't hear to the girls which shut them all up at once. He had then walked right through them, grabbed her hand, called a polite goodbye and pulled her off. Aria had sensed many of the girls' eyes on her as she and Cleffis walked off, and the feeling wasn't a good one. What had Cleffis said, and why? This situation alone was not that serious, but ever since that morning at the theatre, her heart had been feeling funny. Her head had suddenly been feeling light every time she looked at Cleffis, and when their gazes happened to meet, Aria's heart thumped so hard she thought it would burst. Even now, the thought of the boy with silver hair awakened a strange feeling within her. _What's wrong with me?_ She mentally grumbled, turning over to one side. _I'll...just figure this out tomorrow!_ Aria attempted to clear her mind of everything but her lethargy and minutes later, sleep took over.

Aria opened her eyes. _Where...what..._ She sat up finding herself sitting on a low brick wall, smack in the middle of a winter forest. Snow fell from the sky, blanketing the ground. _What the..._Aria looked down, finding herself in her Battle of The Bands outfit, with a woolly purple coat keeping her warm. _Where...am I?_ Her hand touched something. _Huh?_ Aria closed her fingers over the small object and held it in front of her face. It was a crimson red rose with a tag attached to it. "To Aria, from Cleffis" the tag read. When since did Cleffis bring her flowers? Needless to say, Aria found her lips curving slightly at the edges and quickly dropped it. She slapped her forehead with a sigh. For goodness' sake, there really was something bothering her. Aria set the rose back down and got off the brick wall. Fortunately, since it was a low wall, she managed to land herself on the snowy ground with ease and look around. The place seemed to be completely deserted. Amongst the snow covered trees and gently falling snow, conflicted with her feelings, Aria found herself singing, her voice suddenly restored.

_If there's a prize for rotten judgement__  
__I guess I've already won that__  
__No man is worth the aggravation__  
__That's ancient history, been there done that__  
_

Suddenly, four figures from nowhere popped out around Aria, startling her. "_Who ya think you're kidding? He's the earth and heaven to ya. Try to keep it hidden, honey we can see right through ya._" The four figures sang, dancing identically. Aria's mouth fell open. The four figures turned out to be Adagio, Allegro, Sonata and Concerto. They were also in their stage outfits with matching coats or scarfs. "_Girl, you can't conceal it, we know how you feel and who you're thinking of._.."

Aria shook her head and walked off through the forest, attempting to drown out the foursome's chorus. "_Ohhh, no chance, no way,_" Aria sang stubbornly, folding her arms. "_I won't say it no more._" "_You swoon, you sigh, why deny it oh oh_?" The foursome sang in reply. Aria rolled her eyes. "_It's too cliché, I won't say I'm in love…_" She quickened her pace in exasperation, but Adagio, Allegro, Sonata and Concerto followed her like a row of penguins.

_I thought my heart had learnt its lesson_

_It feels so good when you start out_

_My head is screaming 'get a grip girl'_

_Unless you're dying to cry your heart out_

_Ooohhhhh_

"_You keep on denying, who you are and how you're feeling,_" Sang the quartet, standing under a cluster of snow covered trees. "_Baby, we're not buyin', hun we saw ya hit the ceiling._" The four jumped up, Sonata accidentally hitting her head on a tree branch. Aria shook her head and walked off through the forest, attempting to drown out the foursome's chorus. "_Face it like a grown up, when you gonna own up that you got, (got), got it bad?_"

"_No chance, no way, I won't say it no no_." Aria snapped, glaring daggers at them. "_Give up, give in!_" They sang. Concerto, pretending to be Cleffis, pulled Sonata by the waist to his side, while Sonata, as Aria, leaned her head on his shoulder. Allegro and Adagio used their hands to form a giant heart around them. "Check the grin, you're in love!" Sonata sang. Aria attempted to grimace in disgust, trying not to imagine Cleffis and her doing something so ridiculous. "_This scene won't play, I won't say I'm in love..._" "_You're doin' flips, read our lips, you're in love!_" The group replied.

"_You're way off base, I won't say it._" Aria sang, trying to walk away. "_Get off my case, I won't saaayyy it!_" Adagio sighed, as Concerto slapped his forehead. "_Girl don't be proud, it's okay you're in loove..._" They sang with Sonata and Allegro. With nimble hands, Adagio swiped the rose off the brick wall which Aria had left it at and tossed it to her. The minute the violet haired girl saw the flower, her heart softened once more at the thought of Cleffis. She sighed in defeat. "_Ohhhhh, at least out loud...I won't say I'm in...love..._"

Aria woke with a start and sat up. She was back in her bed in her decrepit motel room, not a winter forest. And there was no sign of siren-pop star singing chorus. Aria heaved a sigh of relief. Seeing Adagio and Sonata acting like that had been really unsettling. But after all, it had been a dream. Even so, she felt perplexed. Cleffis...did she really...like him?

The motel lobby was completely silent this morning. A scruffy haired receptionist with a wrinkled hotel suit which looked as though it hadn't been ironed for days(it hadn't) sat on a worn out chair at the small counter, placing his legs on the table and reading a piece of newspaper. "Excuse me..." The receptionist put down his newspaper to see a teenage girl with denim blue eyes, lime green, pink streaked hair tied into a ponytail and green skin standing at the front of the counter. "Yes?" "Can you tell me which rooms Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk are in? " The man narrowed his eyes. "Because...?" "I'm a friend of theirs from school. I promised I'd pass something to them." The girl said, fiddling with a bright blue gem which hung around her neck. "I'm afraid I can't do that, young lady." The receptionist lazily took his legs off the counter and took a sip of coffee from his mug which had been on the table. "Unless you can confirm that you are their classmate by giving them a call." "Sorry, but my phone's not working today." The girl said apologetically with a shrug. "Alright." The man leaned over his counter to grab a telephone on the wall. "Then perhaps I can call them for you..." The green haired girl raised an eyebrow and parted her lips to say something...

"_Aaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaa-aaaahhh..."_

The man's initial perplexed expression turned into a blank one as orange mist swirled around him and into his eyes.

"_Aaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaa-aaaahhh..._"

The girl's pendant was glowing cyan, the orange mist flowing out of it as she vocalized. The man's eyes glowed orange, indicating the spell was complete, and the girl ceased singing and spoke again.

"So?"

"Of course. Let me get information on their rooms now." The receptionist pulled open a drawer beneath his counter and leafed through a small stack of yellowed folders. "Here you go." He handed the girl three folders. The girl adjusted the orange tie and pink jacket she was wearing and scanned through the folders. "All on the same floor, huh?" She mumbled to herself. "Thanks." She handed the folders back to the receptionist, his eyes still an orange hue and his gaze still blank. As she turned around and walked out of the lobby, she sang. "_Aaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaa-aaaahhh..._" The orange glow faded from the man's eyes, and he blinked. What had just happened, and why was he holding folders of check ins? He sought for a memory but failed to attain one. He shrugged and placed the folders back into the drawer.

Walking quickly away, the lime green haired girl reached into her skirt pocket and fished out her phone. As she did so, the early morning light shine into her cutie mark on her jacket: a splash of pink paint and the bold green outline of a star on it. "Silver. I found the motel the sirens are staying in." "Keep an eye on the first me, Limelight." A voice said on the other end. "They're up to something if they're still sticking to each other like this."

Concerto Dawn was busy with his phone as well during this time, having acquired Cherry's number the day before. She seemed to be more open to him now since she believed he was dating Sonata. So far so good, he thought. Now there was only one obstacle left: Cherry's boyfriend. He texted Cherry.

**So, you're going to the Canterlot Music Festival tomorrow with Storm Caster?****  
**

Storm Caster was supposed to be the name of Cherry's boyfriend. She had already sent him a couple of photos of them, and Concerto couldn't help but feel jealous. But if that was Cherry's purpose in sending him the photos, then it was a good thing.

A short while later, Cherry's texted back.

**Yep. You'll be there, right? ****  
**

Concerto's heart jumped at the question. She was asking about him! He typed in a reply.

**Yeah. I'm performing, remember? ****  
**

After a few seconds of consideration, he also added:

**I'll be taking Sonata with me too. She's loves music, and plus she's my assistant and girlfriend, so... ****  
**

Concerto smiled to himself. He was rather grateful to Sonata for helping him. So it was only fair that she attended the prestigious festival itself rather than just wait backstage for him. But there was one other thing...  
Setting down at his table, Concerto reached for a notebook and opened it to the first page. He sought for some inspiration in his head, but couldn't find any. _Sigh... I really feel like writing a song, but... What should I write about?_ Having come upon some of his handwritten lyrics, Sonata had given him the suggestion of writing a song for Triple Rewind. Concerto had first assumed that Sonata was saying that out of support for his hobby, but come to think of it, it seemed a good idea to write a song for his group after all. But what could he write? Concerto thought over the several types of music in his head. Other than pop music, he also knew country and R and B. Also, having studied Korean as a second language, he also tended to dabble in K Pop sometimes. Concerto thought and thought for some ideas, before deciding to put it aside for a while and call Sonata.

"Sonata? You there? "

"Yeah. Why'd you call me? "

"Just to let you know, Triple Rewind is performing at the Canterlot Music Festival tomorrow night. Rather than leaving you backstage, I'm bringing you along for the celebration. You deserve it." Sonata's reply came with a tone of surprise and excitement. "Really? Thanks, Concerto! ""You're welcome." Concerto hesitated for a hole before continuing. "Oh yeah, and... My ex-girlfriend is attending also. With her current boyfriend." "Oh... "For some reason, the joy in Sonata's voice seemed to have dropped a little."So, well pretend again? ""Yeah. Thanks, Sonata."

"You may come in. " Allegro turned the doorknob and went into the office. Show Biz sat comfortably in a large chair at his desk. This office was only temporary until Triple Rewind had finished their Canterlot tour, but Show Biz wanted to have the best for everything. "You wanted to see me, Mr Biz?" Allegro asked. The man nodded. "Yes. Have a seat. "Allegro settled down in the seat opposite his managers. Mr Biz inhaled deeply and sighed, like a father before he was about to give advice to a rebellious son. "We need to talk. About this assistant of yours." Okay, Allegro wasn't that surprised about this. Given the amount of time he spent with Adagio, he knew his manager would interfere. He raised an eyebrow. "You mean Adagio?" "You seem to be getting rather... Close, to her." Mr Biz stated, his voice serious. "A little too close, it seems." "Ugh, Mr Biz, what do you expect? She's my assistant, and I'm supposed to teach her to-" "Sing?" Show Biz interrupted. "I know that. But yesterday, you were spotted with her at the mall. "He produced a photo."A fan took it. "Allegro grabbed the picture and stared at it, shocked. What? Had fans been spying on them during the singing lesson? "She posted it on her blog. " Show Biz continued to explain. "I've reassured the media that you were tutoring her, but the more I look at it, it does seem possible that you have some kind of... Affection for Adagio." "So what if I have some kind of affection for her?" Allegro said, trying to cover up the anger in his voice. "At least she's more tolerable than Citrine is." "But to the public, Citrine is your girlfriend." His manager said sternly. "You must keep it that way to prevent your reputation from being tarnished. Do you understand? " "... Yes." Allegro had to hide both hands behind his back because they were clenched into fists. "Good. You may go. "Allegro had to resist cursing as he left the office. How could Mr Biz do something like that? How could he interfere with his life? Thanks to his manager, the whole world thought he was dating Citrine, and they probably didn't want him getting any closer to Adagio. But... He wanted to. He didn't know for sure if Adagio liked him back or not, but it was undeniable that he had feelings for her. Allegro stepped out of the building, suddenly filled with resolve. He looked up at the bright morning sky, and whispered his thoughts aloud.

"I have to tell her how I feel."


	13. Chapter 13: Everything Has Changed

**Chapter 13: Everything Has Changed**

"_All I know as you held the door, that you'll be mine and I'll be yours, oh. All I know is a simple thing...everything has changed._" Sonata sang, as Concerto accompanied her on the piano. As she finished, Concerto gave a short applause. "Looks like your voice is finally moving back in tune!" He said, pleased. "Yeah, but it's still all whiny and hoarse." Sonata said. "And I think the power in my voice isn't good enough yet." Concerto placed a hand on Sonata's shoulder reassuringly. "It's alright." He told her softly. "You'll get there soon." Sonata smiled a small smile at her tutor and gave a nod. "Thanks, Concerto." "Anything I can do for my apprentice." Concerto said with a shrug. "And since we've spent a lot of time together, I guess you count as a friend of mine now." "Yeah...same here." Sonata answered, holding back her tears. _You're more than a friend to me... _

Since Triple Rewind didn't have a performance that day until the next day's Music Festival, Concerto and Sonata could practice in the hotel lounge. Sonata's voice had been showing much improvement, so her voice, if heard from some distance, was still tolerable. And to ensure no one interfered, Concerto had apparently booked the whole lounge. The other hotel customers didn't mind, after all. "Anyway, remember the music festival tomorrow?" Concerto piped up. "Uh, yeah..." Sonata mumbled, expecting him to talk about Cherry again. But rather than that, Concerto said something else. "I need you to help us during our performance. We've decided it'll be more interesting if our concert had some kind of storyline to go with our song. It requires a couple of girls to act in it, but the girl who was assigned our female lead dropped out last minute. And since I'm taking care of the chorus... I was wondering if you could take the role." Sonata stared at him in surprise. "Wha-? You're asking me? ""You don't need to sing, you just need to do some basic acting." "Okay... But who am I acting as? "The girl asked curiously. Concerto thought for a moment before carefully explaining it to her. "The song talks about a girl who feels insecure about her boyfriend because of how popular he is among girls. She keeps on thinking that he'll cheat on her, since in her view, there are better girls than her out there. But the boy is reassuring her that he will always remain faithful to her and that in his eyes, she's always the best." "That's interesting." Sonata said. "So... I'm playing the girl. Who's playing the guy? ""Uh...me." Concerto replied with a grin. "And it would be easier that way, right?" Sonata's heart jumped. "Yes." She looked right at Concerto and gave him a big smile. "Thanks, Certo." "No problem." As Concerto spoke, he realized how fortunate he was to have an assistant and friend like Sonata. They had only known each other for almost a week, but had already grown very close. Concerto couldn't help but admire Sonata's nature. She was so cheerful and bubbly and spontaneous, and to be honest, she had a beautiful smile. Concerto was at ease at being himself with her, and sometimes after singing practice, the two of them would play short games like tic tac toe, which they both enjoyed.

Concerto tried to picture playing tic tac toe with Cherry Blossom, but for some reason, he couldn't. For one thing, Cherry wasn't the kind of person to play tic tac toe: she would probably deem it as too childish and immature. It was then which Concerto reflected on what had occurred the past few days. He found himself subconsciously comparing Cherry Blossom with Sonata Dusk: the way they dressed, how they carried themselves, and their different personalities.

Much to Concerto's confusion, Sonata's personality seemed more appealing.

"Concerto? Are you zoning out? Hello?" The boy blinked and was yanked back to reality. "Huh? Oh? I'm fine." He said hastily to Sonata, who was staring at him with her big, rose pink eyes. "Give me a moment." Concerto got up and walked off to get a glass of water. At the same time, he wondered why he was blushing.

Cleffis was waiting outside the motel for Aria to appear. Aria had, strangely, called and requested starting their lesson in the afternoon. He had no idea why, but agreed anyway. His heart skipped a beat as he waited. He knew for sure that he had feelings for her, except that he was still considering of how he could tell her. However, as he was absorbed in his thoughts, a small object clattered at his feet. "Huh?" Cleffis looked down and picked the object-a cell phone-up. "Hey!" Came a shout from a distance away. Cleffis looked up to see a girl with silver hair and blue streaks tied into a curled ponytail running towards him. "I'm sorry, that's my phone." The girl said with a smile. "Oh, it's okay." Cleffis said, handing her the phone. As the girl smiled in relief at the gadget, a familiar voice reached Cleffis's ears. "Oh, hey, Cle-" Cleffis and the girl turned to see Aria standing behind them, gaping in shock. For a second, Cleffis feared Aria thought he was trying to flirt again, but the direction of her gaze told him otherwise. She was staring at the silver haired girl in disbelief. "Do I... Know you? "Aria asked curiously. The girl froze before quickly turning on her heels and running off. "Hey!" Aria called out. She started forward, before stopping. "Forget it." She muttered. She turned to Cleffis. "Who was that?" Cleffis shrugged. "Just a stranger. She dropped her phone." He watched Aria scratch her head, looking flustered. "Do you know her?" The violet haired girl had no idea how to answer. "She did look like..." Her voice trailed off, and regret flashed through her eyes. "Nah, it was probably deja vu." She mumbled to Cleffis. "Let's go."

Afar, the girl ran back to her apartment. It was the exact opposite of the Dazzlings': the floor was carpeted, and the furniture and walls seemed to be well taken care of. "That was close." She sighed. She turned to look at her blue pendant, placed on the bedside table. "That was Aria, for sure. I'd recognize that voice anywhere. She was with a member of Triple Rewind." The girl looked up thoughtfully. "What are they up to?"

This time, Aria was well prepared for the ringing in her ears the minute she and Cleffis arrived in the building. Cleffis, strangely less flirtatious than usual-well, actually not flirtatious at all-gave his fans a casual, friendly wave before turning back to Aria. "I booked us a room to practice." He explained. "I know I probably shouldn't set foot back in this KTV place, but I thought it would be best for you to learn by listening to varieties of music." The smile on his face was a genuine one, which made Aria feel as though she was going to pass out. _He's a playboy,_ she reminded herself. _He plays with your feelings. He'll break your heart. He'll leave you for someone else. He doesn't care about you. _

But she was lying.

"Excuse me for a while, I'll go and ask for the booking I made." As Cleffis talked to the person at the counter, Aria sensed almost everyone's eyes on her. Murmurs floated around the room, some rather audible.

"She's here..."

"Did you see how Cleffis looked at her?"

"Who the heck is she? Why is she always with him? "

"She's his assistant, he says, but it looks otherwise..."

It was making Aria nervous. Good thing Cleffis returned and took her to their booked room before anything could happen. As they walked, unlike before, Cleffis didn't even take any second glances at his fangirls. He looked only at his violet haired assistant who was staring at the ground with slight nervousness. No longer did he feel he need to hand around different girls and toy with their feelings: now he felt happy with Aria Blaze, and only Aria Blaze. His callous and arrogant nature had dissolved. Now the only thing left in the way was that Aria hadn't reciprocated his feelings yet.

By this time, Allegro and Adagio had just finished their singing session. Adagio, being the former leader of the sirens had quickly learnt to shift her notes back into tune even though it was merely her second lesson. The only problem was that her voice was still hoarse and raspy: that she had no idea how to fix. Allegro had pitched in a lot of things during the lesson, but when they left, Adagio sensed he had fallen a bit quieter. She couldn't help turning to him. "Are you alright?" She asked him in concern. Allegro, for some reason, blinked and shook his head slightly as though he had been in a trance. "I'm fine, Adagio." He reassured her hastily. "But…thanks for asking, though." Adagio nodded and turned her attention back to where they were walking. A thought occurred to her. Had Allegro just…thanked her? Adagio tried to forage mentally for another instance where someone had showed gratitude to her, but couldn't find any. Perhaps this was the first time she had ever been thanked? No, it couldn't be. Her previous years had all been spent keeping the sirens together and leading Aria and Sonata in feeding off negative energy to sustain their powers. Surely they must have shown her gratitude for doing so…right? _Unless…_ another question subconsciously came into her head_. Did I treat them well enough to actually deserve any gratitude? _Meanwhile, Allegro's heart was thumping so loudly that he thought Adagio could hear it. It had been easy for him to think of confessing his feelings for Adagio, but actually doing so was a little hard. He took a deep breath and spoke. "Hey, um, Adagio?" "Yeah?" "Don't mind me asking you this, but…what's your favourite food?" "Huh?" Adagio felt confused as to why Allegro would suddenly ask her this question, but complied anyway. "Uhhh…tacos, I guess." There was a slight tinge of embarrassment considering that she had once chided Sonata for being obsessed with tacos. Ironically, Adagio herself was becoming obsessed with tacos also. "Why?" "Just curious." Allegro replied with a shrug, ruffling his reddish brown hair with one hand. A plan formulated in his head as he did so.

"All students can report to their classrooms for lessons now." A voice sounded through the intercom. Upon hearing the announcement, the Crystal Prep students headed for their lockers, took out their required books and walked to their classes. An orange skinned girl with dark pink hair and freckles reached into her locker and drew out a couple of thick looking textbooks. As she did so, she glanced at a photo stuck on the inside of her locker door with blu tack, a warm smile across her face. The photo showed the students of Crystal Prep and Canterlot High during the closure of the Friendship Games, all of them holding each other closely and smiling brightly. Sour Sweet felt and actual feeling of joy in her heart as she remembered that day. Needless to say, the outcome of the games had been rather... Unexpected, of course. But even so, the result brought positive effects.

It had been three weeks ever since the games ended. Before the incident, Crystal Prep showed completely no concern towards anything except winning. Winning would help to uphold the school's reputation, which was the mind-set which Principal Cinch drummed into each and every one of them once they set foot in the school. That mind-set did help Crystal Prep students to win many things, but they themselves were changed into arrogant, cold people. Other than with their own friends, Crystal Prep students never interacted with anyone else, and anyone they disliked were immediately cast out. One example was Twilight: everyone had been so jealous of her high grades that no one talked to her, at least not in a friendly way. As a result, no one knew about her research on magic occurrences at Canterlot High, or her magic trapping device. This had only been discovered by Principal Cinch during the friendship Games after the magic had opened portals and jeopardized the second round. Due to the Shadowbolt's strong desire to win, Twilight had been pressurized into releasing her stored magic, which transformed her into a powerful and ambitious magical creature that had almost destroyed the world, if not for a magic-experienced Canterlot Wondercolt named Sunset Shimmer confronting her and reverting her to her normal self. It was also then that Crystal Prep learnt that winning and power were not as important as friendship. And it gave them much regret to realize that it was something they had not offered to many others, especially Twilight.

Sour Sweet, having been one of the students who had shunned Twilight the most, felt the worst. Even weeks after the incident, she was still experiencing guilt for not having been nice to the girl while she had been around, given she had transferred to Canterlot High. The only consolation she had was that she had apologized to Twilight after the games, and she had forgiven her.

However, things had gotten better since then. Crystal Prep students were more friendly to one another and thus the school overall became more bonded. Now, school life was less hectic and stressful, thanks to Canterlot High's influence.

Many students looked up and waved as Sour Sweet entered homeroom. "Hey, Sour Sweet!" Called Sunny Flare, waving her hand enthusiastically from her seat. Sour Sweet waved at everyone as she made her way to her own table beside Sunny, returning the greetings some classmates called out. "How's your day going?" Sugarcoat asked with a friendly smile. "It's been going great. Thanks for asking, Sugarcoat. "The girls smiled at one another, happy to experience genuine friendship. "Wait, where's Indigo? "Asked Sour Sweet. As if right on cue, the girl in question scrambled into the classroom, hastily greeting everyone before setting herself in her chair, her eyes bright. "Hi Indigo. What's all the excitement about? "Sour Sweet inquired curiously. Indigo turned to them cheerfully. "There's a new student joining us." She announced. "I was showing her around just now." Everyone gaped at her in surprise. "A new student? Really? "Sugarcoat said, pushing up her glasses with a look of shock on her face. Indigo nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Our teacher is going to introduce her!" Before anyone could ask further questions, their teacher strode into the class. "Good Morning students." Their teacher strode into the class carrying a pile of books. Setting them down into her desk, she said, "We have a new student in our class today." Everyone watched as their teacher turned in the direction of the door and beckoned. "You can come in now." Slowly, the door creaked open, and a pale lilac skinned girl with short white, light blue streaked hair walked into the classroom. Her grey eyes darted around the class and at her new classmates nervously. "Class, this is Chandelier Frost." The teacher said. "Go ahead and introduce yourself." Chandelier turned to face the class. "Hi everyone. I'm Chandelier Frost. I just moved from Manehattan. I like music and reading." "Alright, you may go and sit down now." The teacher said. Chandelier swept her eyes over the entire classroom before choosing an empty seat right at the back, away from others. As she sat down, murmurs went through the other students.

"She's pretty."

"That's a nice name she has."

"Doesn't she look pretty?" Sunny Flare whispered to Sour Sweet. Sour Sweet nodded. "Yeah." She turned to Sugarcoat. "What do you think, Sugarcoat?" Sugarcoat was fiddling with her pigtails, looking rather uncomfortable. "Are... You okay? "Sunny Flare asked her."... Chandelier is my cousin." Sugarcoat mumbled. Both Sour Sweet and Sunny Flare stared at her in disbelief. "She is?" Sour Sweet said in astonishment, glancing briefly at Chandelier, who was flipping through as the teacher opened her laptop, before looking back at Sugarcoat. Well, that explained why both girls had pale purple skin and whitish hair. "Then why didn't you know that she was going to transfer here?" She asked. Sugarcoat adjusted her glasses with a sigh. "I don't know her that well. I see her at family gatherings and visits, but she's not much of a talker. She just sits somewhere and either reads or fiddles with her smartphone. Even her parents don't seem to pay much attention to her." "That sounds... Kind of lonely." Sour Sweet commented quietly, sneaking another look at Chandelier with pity. One thing for sure, the new girl seemed awfully quiet, fitting Sugarcoat's description of her attitude. And she didn't even seem to notice that majority of the boys in her new class were casting dreamy glances at her. "Well, even though she's quiet, I think we'll get along with her just fine if we try our best." Sunny piped up softly. "I think I can. Her uniform seems to have some amount of alterations that she probably did herself, considering those accessories on her uniform aren't exactly the Crystal Prep colours. Her creativity is pretty impressive."

Indeed, upon observation, Chandelier's Crystal Prep uniform looked like Sunny Flare's uniform, except that it had shorter sleeves with tiny cream coloured beads strung around each one. The bow had been replaced with a small necktie of the same shade. Her skirt was complete with an icy blue belt with a silver snowflake on the belt buckle.

And hanging around her neck-a pendant, presumably-was a bright blue gem.


	14. Chapter 14: Crossroads

**Chapter 14: Crossroads**

The Next Day

"Morning, guys!" Concerto called out cheerfully, rushing past his groupmates to get a glass of orange juice. "It's Music Festival Day!" Allegro smiled in amusement at his friend. "Concerto is way too enthusiastic about these kind of things." He remarked to Cleffis, who nodded. "What about you, Cleffis? You looking forward to it?" "Well, of course." Cleffis replied, as the two of them walked to their table with their breakfast plates. As they sat down, Allegro couldn't help thinking there was something different about Cleffis now. Usually, if he asked him if he was looking forward to festivals like that, he would smirk proudly and brag about how all the girls attending would be drawn to him as though he was a magnet. Not only that, Cleffis hadn't seemed the same around their fans. Allegro had seen him waving and signing several autographs, but other than that, he didn't flirt anymore. This had gone on for quite a few days, so it wasn't hard for Allegro to trace the cause of Cleffis's change in behaviour. Was it his new apprentice, Aria Blaze? Upon that thought, Allegro blurted out a question. "So Cleffis, how's your sessions with Aria going so far?" Strangely, Cleffis seemed to straighten up at the mention of Aria's name. "Her? Yeah, it's going well. She's been making good progress." He answered quickly. Allegro nodded, watching Cleffis intently. "I'll be with her mostly for the Music Festival, I think." The boy added, his expression changing. Noticing this change, Allegro's eyes widened. He'd know that look anywhere: he'd seen that same look on Concerto's face when he talked about Cherry. _Could it be? _Allegro thought in astonishment. Could Cleffis have finally found a match?

Just then, Concerto returned to the table with his orange juice, sitting down and downing the glass with gusto. "Just can't wait for tonight!" He said with a big grin. Cleffis gave his friend an awkward smile. "Uh huh…" Cleffis had never seen Concerto THIS hyped up about something. "So, is Sonata ready for her role in our concert?" Allegro asked, Concerto having told them about it the day before. "Yeah, I helped her yesterday. She's good enough." "Alright." Cleffis piped up. "Allegro, how was your two sessions with Adagio?" "She's a fast learner, I guess." Allegro answered thoughtfully. "She's been doing well." Then, after a pause, he asked, "Can you guys do me a favour later? At the music festival, can you try and keep our fans and the paparazzi away from me?" The two boys looked at him in confusion. Allegro usually didn't mind attention. "Why?" Concerto asked. Allegro looked a little sheepish at this point. "Umm…just need some time to recuperate after the concert." Cleffis and Concerto knew Allegro well enough to know he was lying, but they accepted that explanation anyway. After all, they knew how close Allegro had grown to Adagio, and they assumed he wanted some time alone with her (which he did). "Sure." Cleffis said, nodding to his leader. "You can count on us." Concerto added with a smile. Allegro smiled at them, feeling fortunate to have them. _Great. I think I know what to do…_

Sonata walked out of her motel room. She had been intending to quickly walk past Adagio and Aria's rooms and get to Concerto alone as she had usually done, but this time, she barely made it by before Aria's door suddenly opened. Sonata was almost startled when Aria poked her head out of her room, looking right at her. Seeing her fellow siren made Sonata cringe, expecting a grumpy insult or rude remark of some sort to be thrown at her.

"Oh. Morning, Sonata." Aria said, stepping out of her room and adjusting her turquoise jacket. The girl blinked, hearing no sarcasm in Aria's voice and seeing no hostility in her expression. "Uh…morning, Aria." Sonata answered blankly. "Heading out now?" Asked Aria. Sonata had no choice but to nod. "Yeah." She was still bracing herself for an insult, but none came. Without much incidents or disputes, Aria and Sonata walked out together. Adagio, as they had expected, being the most eager to regain their powers, was already out in the motel lobby waiting. "Late again, as usual." Adagio remarked, walking up to them. Aria rolled her eyes, while Sonata looked down in embarrassment. However, after that, Adagio patted both on their shoulders, with her lips curved into what seemed like a smile. "But it's alright." She said. Ignoring Aria and Sonata's perplexed looks at their leader's strange change in greeting, she led the way out of the motel lobby." Let's be quick, Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto wanted us to meet them outside the motel." She muttered. The three headed out to see all three boy group members waiting patiently for them. "Hey guys!" Cleffis called, smiling at the girls, Aria especially. "So…are we going to our practice now?" Adagio asked eagerly. "Um…no." Allegro said, scratching his head. Adagio's smile froze. "Sorry?" Sensing Adagio's confusion, Allegro decided to explain. "Tonight's the big musical showcase, so since we've been rehearsing so much the past few days, we figured we take a short rest. Also, you three made pretty impressive progress over these last few days." He said. "So we're going to have a day out before the showcase!" He noticed the look on Adagio's face, showing a mixture of joy and dismay. "Are...you alright, Adagio?" Adagio nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. That sounds like a great idea." She reassured him hastily. Adagio could not comprehend it: as the leader of the sirens, regaining their voices was meant to be her top priority. Strangely, she found herself reluctant to disappoint or upset her mentor. Why? Did she actually…care for Allegro and his feelings?

Meanwhile, Concerto approached Sonata, who was pretending to be distracted with her phone, for some reason. "Morning, Sonata." Concerto greeted her. "Ready for your performance?" "…Yeah, sure." Sonata mumbled without looking up. "So…where are we going?" "We're sticking in a group this time." Concerto explained. "So since we need to leave for the concert at late afternoon, we'll head to the nearby shopping mall." Sonata nodded slowly, still not daring to meet his gaze. She was alright with a day out, especially one with Concerto, but she definitely was not looking forward to seeing Cherry Blossom again at night. She felt fortunate just to be able to stand next to Concerto, but…knowing that he was letting her do so to make Cherry jealous still hurt. Still, Sonata chose to swallow up her emotions. _Just bear with it for the meantime,_ she told herself. Aria was watching Sonata, feeling slight pity for the young girl. Sonata really did love Concerto after all… Aria couldn't help mentally blaming him for being so oblivious to Sonata's current state, but then again, the saying went "Love Is blind". Aria also wondered if that saying also applied to her newfound feelings for Cleffis. Her heart almost stopped when she looked up and noticed the person in question in front of her. Cleffis gave her a shy grin. "Morning, Aria." He said. "Morning." Aria answered, trying not to sound nervous. If only she knew how fast Cleffis's heart was racing.

The six teenagers hiked their way down the street, being extremely low profile. Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto were all wearing dark hoodies with the hoods pulled over, and as they walked, they were careful to stay clear of crowded places. Due to this, it took a while, but eventually, they arrived at the shopping centre.

"So where should we head off to first?" Adagio asked, trying to hide how excited she was. To be honest, the only other thing she liked to be besides singing and taking over the world was shopping! "Up to you, Adagio." Allegro said with a shrug. "We are giving you three a day off, after all." "Really?" Adagio was rather surprised. Allegro smiled. "Of course. Go ahead." Adagio found herself smiling a genuine smile back at Allegro. "Th…Thanks, Allegro." She said softly.

"What about you, Aria?" Cleffis asked her. The violet haired girl thought for a moment. "I'd like to check out that large bookstore they have on the third floor." She said after a while. Something compelled her to add on. "If that's fine with you, of course." Cleffis smiled at her and nodded. "Sure." Concerto turned to ask Sonata the same question when he noticed her staring at a poster nearby, advertising…"Tacos!" Sonata said excitedly, pointing wildly at the poster. "Tacos!" Concerto chuckled to himself. He put a hand on Sonata's shoulder. "I guess we could go eat some tacos after visiting a couple stores." Sonata jumped up into the air, squealing happily. Concerto smiled, and was about to turn back to the others when he found himself being yanked backwards by the arm. The next thing he felt was Sonata's lips briefly on his cheek. It sent a jolt through his body. "Thank you so much!" She gushed joyfully, hugging Concerto as though he was a giant stuffed teddy bear. Concerto found his face reddening.

Allegro, Adagio, Cleffis and Aria had all seen the kiss and were gawking at Concerto and Sonata in disbelief. Eventually, Sonata noticed they were staring and let go of her mentor. "Uhuhh…sorry, got a little carried away..." She muttered in embarrassment. Concerto swallowed awkwardly. "Heh…let's get going, shall we?" He stammered. His groupmates nodded, both trying to stifle snickers.

An Hour Later

Five teenagers were sprawled on one of the couches in a clothes store, snoring soundly. Sonata and Aria had chosen their outfits long ago, which Concerto and Cleffis had gladly bought for them since the two girls were short of money. Adagio, however…

A loud knock suddenly came from the changing rooms, startling them awake. "Okay guys, I think I found my outfit!" Adagio called. Allegro nodded, a little dazed as the other four rubbed their eyes sleepily and yawned. "Alright then, Adagio. You can come out and show us then." Allegro turned to look just as the golden-autumn haired girl walked out of the changing rooms. His mouth literally dropped open.

Adagio was wearing a purple cocktail dress that stopped at her knees. Golden and amber coloured gems of various sizes adorned the hem of the dress. The dress itself was accompanied by a pale purple fur coat and dark violet, sparkly heeled boots that sparkled in the light. At the sight of her, Aria, Cleffis, Sonata and Concerto dropped their shopping bags and whistled and whooped. Still looking nervous, however, Adagio straightened out her clothes and looked only at Allegro. "What do you think, Allegro?" She asked anxiously. The boy was gaping at her, utterly speechless from how she looked. "Wow, you look…" He could feel the blood quickly rushing to his cheeks as he took in Adagio. "…you look amazing." Adagio smiled. "Thanks…" "You look incredible in that dress, Dagi!" Sonata chirped. "Yeah, Sonata's right. That outfit really fits you!" Aria added, agreeing with her fellow siren. She failed to notice Sonata staring at her in surprise at the words "Sonata's right". Cleffis and Concerto agreed also and gave Adagio compliments filled with appraisal. Adagio thanked the others for their praises. However, none of their words sparked the same thrill in her as Allegro's had done.

Meanwhile, Somewhere Else In Canterlot

Today had been a perfectly normal day for the Mane Seven. Class had passed by as per normal, and no magic had turned up throughout. Ever since she'd joined the school, Twilight had been doing exceptionally well in classes. She'd made plenty of friends, considering she was almost like an old friend to everyone there-quite literally. But anyway, after their last class, the Mane Seven were walking out of the school compound, talking amongst themselves cheerfully. Pinkie Pie, as usual, walked with a bounce in her step, chirping away happily about something, as Rainbow Dash occasionally tossed the football she was holding upwards. But suddenly, a figure jumped out in front of them.

"Heyyyy guys! " The figure shouted, startling the seven. All of them abruptly stopped in their tracks with a collective gasp, before their minds quickly identified the person. "Lemon Zest? " Pinkie Pie said in disbelief. Four other students popped up from behind the nearby bushes. "Surprise! " They shouted happily, joining Lemon Zest. The Mane Seven's startled looks quickly changed to overjoyed looks. It was the girls from the Crystal Prep Shadowbolts team! All the girls joyfully hugged each other, exchanging greetings. "Guys! How are you! " Indigo Zap yelled out enthusiastically as she rapidly shook everyone's hands. "We've been doing great! " Rainbow Dash replied just as energetically. "How'd you get here? " "We decided to drop in and pay you a little visit." Sunny Flare explained with a kind smile. "We wanted to see how you were doing." "Also, we kind of owe you one. Crystal Prep has been a much better place thanks to your influence during the Friendship Games." Sour Sweet said gratefully, before grumbling, "Though Principal Cinch hasn't changed at all." "It was nothing really." Sunset reassured them. "And, ummm, we have a new student at CPA. " Sugarcoat added, pushing up her glasses with a bright look on her face. "She took up the vacant spot Twilight left behind, so we wanted to introduce you guys to her." "Where is she? " Twilight asked, looking around hopefully. She had been learning as much as she could about The Magic of Friendship ever since she had arrived at Canterlot High, and she jumped at a chance to really offer her friendship to someone new. Sugarcoat gestured lightly to the bushes. "You can come out now." She called softly.

Everyone watched as the bushes rustled. A girl with short white, blue streaked hair, pale purple skin and grey eyes came out, walking towards them. "This is my cousin, Chandelier Frost." Sugarcoat said. "Hi Chandelier! " Twilight greeted the girl warmly, holding out her hand. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. Pleased to meet you! " "Pleased to meet you too." Chandelier took Twilight's hand and shook it with a friendly smile. "You look marvellous, dear! " Rarity commended, before adding, "I'm Rarity, by the way." "I'm Pinkie Pie! " Pinkie squeaked, bouncing up in front of her. Sunset smiled at Chandelier. "I'm Sunset Shimmer, and that's Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Applejack." The Crystal Prep students were happy that the Mane Seven were taking to their new friend. "She's been very warmly welcomed by the students at CPA." Indigo Zap said proudly. "She even made her own minor modifications to her Crystal Prep uniform!" "That looks great on you." Sunset praised, as Rarity patted Chandelier's shoulder. "Looks like we're going to get along just fine." She said with a look of appraisal. Chandelier blushed. "Thanks."

Just then, a shout from a distance jolted the girls out of their conversation. "Hey! " The shout had come from a pale haired girl who was currently glaring at a dark blue haired boy with thick glasses. "You dare bump into the Great and Powerful Trixie?!" Trixie cried out dramatically, pointing an accusing finger at the nervous boy. "I'm sorry, it was an accident!" The boy apologized anxiously. "I don't care if it was an accident! " Trixie shrieked. "You nearly caused me to fall over and break my legs! " Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Ugh, Trixie." She muttered. "Maybe we should continue our catching up at the nearby cafe." The other girls nodded, chattering out agreements and heading away from the school. Chandelier, however, tapped Sugarcoat on the shoulder. "You guys go ahead, I need to do something." She said. Sugarcoat shrugged. "Okay."

As her friends walked off, Chandelier quietly walked in the opposite direction towards the small conflict that was unfolding. The boy's friend, another boy with slightly longer green hair under a beanie, was stepping between the two teenagers. "Now come on, Trixie." He said. "Micro Chips didn't mean to bump into you. There's no need to make such a big fuss over it. Besides, you won't definitely have had broken your legs if you had really fallen-" "Oh really, Sandalwood?! " The girl screeched. "I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, am never wrong! "

"Excuse me."

The threesome turned to see where the unfamiliar voice had come from. "I couldn't help overhearing." Chandelier said, looking at Trixie. "I think you should apologize. After all, it really was just an accident." Trixie glared at her, while Micro Chips and Sandalwood looked on in surprise. "What gives you, a complete stranger, the right to say something? " She snapped, contemplating the girl. "What are you even doing here if you're from Crystal Prep?! " Chandelier narrowed her eyes at Trixie before sighing. She lightly touched a blue gem pendant she was wearing around her neck, concealed mostly by her uniform, and started to sing.

"_Aaaaaa-aaaahhh aaaaaa-aaaahhh..._"

A beautiful, serene and calming melody drifted out of the girl's mouth. Her blue pendant shone a wonderful bright blue, orange mist the color of the brightest autumn leaf spurting out of it. Chandelier stopped singing as the mist swirled rapidly around Trixie, who became stiff as her eyes glowed orange briefly. The two boys, who were the only ones witnessing this occurrence, stared on in shock, not sure to be amazed or frightened. As the orange mist swirled back into Chandelier's pendant, Trixie blinked, before immediately turning to Micro Chips with an apologetic look on her face. "Oh my goodness! " She gasped. "I'm so sorry for what I've just done." Micro Chip's mouth fell open in utter confusion. "It's...okay, it was just an accident." He said hastily. "It's fine Trixie." "Ohhh, thank you so much, Micro! " To Micro Chip's surprise, the Great and Powerful Trixie gratefully bowed quickly in front of him and left.

The two boys watched Trixie walk off before turning back to Chandelier. "Uhhhh...thanks?" Sandalwood said in astonishment. Chandelier nodded softly with a kind smile. "I was just doing my job. Well, I should go now, my friends are waiting for me. Bye." Chandelier walked off, fingering the blue pendant with a slightly satisfied smile on her face, leaving the two boys gaping after her."…Who was that?" Micro asked in disbelief. "I have no idea," Sandalwood said, gazing dreamily at the mysterious girl as she disappeared off into the distance. "But whoever she is, she seems nice…"

Aria was searching through a whole array of books. "Hmmm…no…no…ugh, Twilight?! No!" "What exactly are you looking for, Aria?" Cleffis asked curiously, watching the violet haired girl scanning book by book. Aria pretended not to hear him for some reason, and kept on searching. _Which section did we even go to, anyway?_ He wondered, having blindly followed his assistant to the bookshelf. He glanced at the section title just above the bookshelf and froze. It said 'Romance'. _Aria reads romance books?_ Cleffis thought to himself, his face growing hot. He tried to hide how affected he was by this new information as Aria finally stopped at a book. "Ah, found it." She said, pulling it out of the shelf and looking over it to check if it was in good condition. "What's it about?" Cleffis asked, trying to sound casual. Aria hesitated for a moment, before sighing. "It's about a playboy who has to marry someone in an arranged wedding. However, a few weeks before the wedding, he falls in love with his bride-to-be's sister." "A playboy who falls for a girl, huh?" "Yep." Aria said. She was checking the price of the book when she heard a quiet mutter behind her. "Pfft, sounds familiar." Confused, Aria turned around. "What?" Cleffis quickly shook his head. "Nothing." He lied sheepishly. Aria narrowed her eyes at him before walking off to the cashier.

"Cleffis just sent me a text." Allegro said, checking his phone. "He says Aria just bought her book and that they are heading over here right now." Concerto and Adagio nodded. Sonata, who was busy stuffing herself with tacos, was too busy to pay attention. Adagio, seeing the delicious plate of food, could no longer resist. Since they were meant to be sharing the platter, she reached out and took a taco, wolfing it down noisily. Sonata stopped mid-chew and stared at her leader in astonishment. "I didn't know you liked tacos, Adagio." She said with her mouth full. Adagio's face reddened. "I…I'm just hungry, that's all." She mumbled, swallowing the food. Sonata looked at her intently a few more seconds before shrugging and resuming her taco rampage.

"Oh hey, Concerto."

The four glanced up to see a pair of teenagers standing by their table. Allegro's eyes widened, Adagio looked confused, Sonata seemed a little horrified, while Concerto hurriedly stood up to greet the duo. "Hey, Cherry Blossom!" He greeted her, shaking her hand. Cherry smiled. "Hey." She looked round Concerto at Allegro, Adagio and Sonata. She waved at them, and the three returned it. However, Sonata quickly looked down and tried to concentrate on her tacos more the next second. "So, you're Concerto Dawn, huh?" The boy next to Cherry asked. "Nice to meet you. I like your music." "Oh, right! Concerto, this is my boyfriend, Storm Caster." Cherry said. "Hi there, Storm." Concerto said, shaking the boy's hand. A feeling of uneasiness stirred within him as he did so. "What are you two doing here?" Allegro asked. "Oh, we're on a date." Cherry replied. "We didn't know you'd be here too." Storm Caster, a grey skinned boy with black and dark purple streaked hair and light grey eyes, looked round Concerto just as Allegro was introducing Adagio to Cherry. "Who's that?" He asked, walking past Concerto. Concerto paused in confusion, before realising who Storm was talking about. He turned round to see Storm next to Sonata. "Why hello there." Storm said with a friendly grin. Sonata shoved a taco into her mouth and stared up at the boy shyly. "Uh…hi." She mumbled. "I haven't seen you before." Storm continued. "What's your name?" "…Sonata Dusk…" "That's a nice name you got there." The boy complimented, kneeling in front of her and taking her hand. To Concerto's disbelief, Storm kissed Sonata's hand. "I'm Storm Caster." He said. "Pleased to meet you." Sonata turned red in embarrassment. "Heh…"

Witnessing this sight sent Concerto's blood boiling. There was something about this boy that he did not like. But it wasn't about him being Cherry's boyfriend. Before Concerto could reconsider, he opened his mouth and spoke defensively and coldly. "That's my girlfriend you're flirting with." Storm Caster looked at Concerto, perplexed before his eyes widened. "Wait, she is? Oh! Sorry." He turned to Sonata with an embarrassed look on his face. "Apologies, Sonata." "It's fine." The girl replied with a shrug, promptly resuming eating tacos. "Sorry 'bout that." Cherry pulled her boyfriend back, rolling her eyes at him. "He always behaves that way with pretty girls." As if that explanation did not suffice, Concerto's expression remained dark. "I see." He said, completely no warmth in his voice. "Well, we should get going now." Cherry and Storm waved at the four. "See you guys at the Music Festival!" The four waved back. As the couple went out of sight, Concerto protectively put his arm around Sonata as she ate her tacos. His face was still an angry red from what had just occurred. "Uh…are you okay, Certo?" Allegro asked in concern. "I'm fine." Concerto grunted, busying himself with his phone. That scene of Storm flirting with Sonata, however, continued replaying in his head. He remembered how lovingly Storm had kissed Sonata's hand, and how shy Sonata seemed to have been in front of him. The more he remembered it, the more agitated he felt. _What is wrong with me?_ He thought to himself. Rather than feeling jealous of Storm and Cherry being together and thinking of yelling at Storm to step away from her, he found himself mentally warning the boy something else.

_Keep your hands off Sonata._


	15. Chapter 15: Jealousy

**Splashfire99:** I'm really sorry I haven't been updating this in a while. I couldn't write for a few months because of exams. I'm having a long break now, so I'll try my best to update this more often…  
(Nothin On You does not belong to me.)

Concerto waited outside Sonata's motel room. "Done yet?" He called, knocking on the door. "Almost!" Came the reply from inside. "Sorry, I got a bit confused with the double layered shirt…" It was time for them to head off to the Canterlot Music Festival, and Concerto had already finished getting ready. He was now waiting for Sonata to be ready so that they could leave together with Adagio, Aria, Allegro and Cleffis. Unfortunately, his patience was wearing a little thin…

"Done!" Sonata cheered triumphantly from inside the room. Concerto heaved a sigh of relief as the door opened. "Great! Let's get going-" He stopped short when he saw her. Sonata had untied her hair, a dark pink hairband shaped like a chain of musical notes placed perfectly on her head. She wore a blue sleeveless top with a shirt of glittery dark pink netting over it. A pink heart shaped brooch was sewn into the neck of the the shirt. A blue rhinestone belt with her cutie mark was around her waist, again complimented by a dark pink chiffon skirt and white striped blue leggings and dark pink boots. "Is…something wrong?" Sonata asked blankly, noticing Concerto's face. Concerto blinked. "Hmm? No, it's just that…you look great."He admitted. Sonata smiled. "Thanks." She said. "You look great too." Concerto was wearing a dark brown leather jacket with a white buttoned shirt underneath and dark blue jeans. His cutie mark was on the lapel of his jacket. A brown fedora sat comfortably on his dark brown hair. "Shall we get going?" Sonata asked. Concerto smiled and nodded. "Sure." As they turned and walked back out of the motel, Concerto's arm very lightly brushed against Sonata's. That alone sent Concerto's heart jumping wildly, as did Sonata's. Unfortunately, neither noticed the other.

The music festival was due to start in half an hour's time, so Triple Rewind and their assistants all travelled there in the same limousine, along with Mr Biz. It was a short trip. Concerto and Sonata spent the time talking away, while Cleffis and Aria read the book Aria had bought just earlier. But if anyone cared to notice, there seemed to be some underlying tension between Triple Rewind's leader and their manager. More tension than there usually was. Allegro was staring out of the window, hesitant to look at Adagio, while Mr Biz seemed to be eyeing him and making sure he wasn't sitting too closely to Adagio. Adagio herself could sense something was amiss, but decided to brush it off for the time being. As she sat at her seat quietly, she thought to herself. She wondered if she was anywhere close to regaining her powers. Her voice was improving faster than Aria and Sonata's, but it was still nowhere close to how it used to sound like. And one other thing: what would happen after she got her powers back? Was she just going to run off and leave Allegro behind, in the dust? Was she going to throw him away, like the cheaply used toothpick she had initially presumed him to be? When she had first become Allegro's assistant, doing something like that to him seemed easy… Adagio stole a swift glance at the reddish brown haired boy. He was still looking out the window, seemingly not paying much attention to her. Adagio thought about how much trouble and stress and responsibilities Allegro had to face as Triple Rewind's leader. Also, there was that publicity stunt going on with Citrine. _The poor boy…_Suddenly, Adagio wasn't so sure if she wanted to get rid of Allegro. Adagio herself was unsure if she was a good leader for Aria and Sonata. It would be nice to have a fellow leader, just like her, whom she could relate to and confide in. But then again, both were so different…

Eventually, they arrived at the venue. The venue was a giant convention centre, supposedly situated in the heart of Canterlot. The moment they exited the limousine outside the building, cheers went up from the fans waiting at the entrance. The boys waved as they walked, the girls trailing behind slightly. As they reached the entrance, a loud shriek filled their ears. "ALLEGRO!" Allegro was completely unprepared for the large, strangling hug he received. The girl hugging him was none other than Citrine Gem. The others' smiles froze and dropped slightly when they saw her. Only Mr Show Biz smiled at Citrine and greeted her. "Hello there, Ms Gem." He shot Allegro a quick "hurry-up-and-play-along" face. Allegro sighed mentally and forced himself to smile and hug Citrine back. "Hi, Citrine." He said, seconds before she released him from her strangling hug. "Hi, honey." The girl replied sweetly, sending a shiver of disgust up Allegro's spine. "Let's go in together, shall we?" As Allegro played along and went in together with Citrine, the others followed behind, Mr Biz walking directly behind the supposed couple with a pleased look on his face. Concerto, glaring sourly at Citrine, leaned over to Sonata and mouthed the words "goody two shoes", gesturing lightly in Citrine's direction. Sonata nodded, understanding what he meant.

One hour later

The six went backstage to prepare themselves. "Wait here. I need to take care of something." Allegro said. Citrine batted her eyelashes at him. "Of course, sweetie.." Since Mr Biz had gone off to talk to the other celebrity guests, and there were no cameras around(other than the security ones), Allegro groaned and rolled his eyes. "I was talking to Adagio, SWEETIE." He said spitefully, making Adagio look up in confusion. Citrine, clearly pissed, forced herself to smile for her "beloved". "Of course." Allegro turned away from the snobby teenage model and gave Adagio a warm smile. "I'll be back soon, okay?" The smile made Adagio's heart warm up, compelling her to smile back. "Sure. See you later." She watched as Allegro Flare scrambled off somewhere. The moment he was out of earshot, Adagio turned and found Citrine's face merely inches from hers, scowling. "Have you been hitting on my boyfriend?" She hissed. Adagio gave her an appalled look. "Excuse me?" "I've heard how close you've grown to him lately." She growled, her fierce gaze unwavering. "I'm sorry, Adagio, but Allegro's mine."_ What?_ Anger and disgust filled Adagio's eyes. "When was he actually yours? He hates you to bits, missy." She snapped back. "I don't care how much he hates me." Citrine retorted. "In front of the public, we are still a couple. He belongs to me alone, and I'm not having some poofy haired bimbo in my way!" Adagio's face reddened. _Poofy haired bimbo?!_ "You heard me." Citrine continued. "You'd better stop any flirting you've done with him, ya hear?!" Seriously, she was accusing her of flirting now?! Before they had lost their powers, Adagio had always done a mixture of singing and flirting in order to get what she wanted from people. Now that her powers were gone, what was the use?! Even if she did still have her gem pendant, picturing herself acting like that with Allegro made a funny feeling stir in her. Citrine's words faded onto background noise as Adagio lost herself in her thoughts. For some reason, she found herself growing increasingly fond of Allegro. She didn't want to feed off any energy from that boy.

"Adagio, we're on soon!" Allegro was back. Citrine, who had shut her mouth just seconds before he had returned, smiled at him as he and his two groupmates straightened their clothes and prepared to go onstage. "Good luck." Both she and Adagio said in unison, before they turned and stared at each other in shock.  
Sonata, in her pretty outfit, stood with the three boys. She was due to go on slightly earlier than them, and she couldn't help feeling nervous. The last time she had stood on a stage, she had been pelted by food and booed off. "Just relax." Concerto reassured her softly. "Just…try to imagine you're only acting in front of Adagio or Aria…or me." That last word almost gave Sonata a heart palpitation. She mustered up a smile. "Thanks, Concerto. I'll…try." "And now, nine months since their debut…teenage hearthrobs, Triple Rewind!" A voice announced. Sonata took a deep breath as loud cheers and claps erupted. _Here goes nothing…_

The crowd drifted into silence as Sonata, illuminated by a single spotlight stepped onstage and sat at the edge of the platform. Her heart was beating wildly as she sensed thousands of pairs of eyes on her. _Remember what to do…_She reminded herself. Seconds later, another spotlight shone behind her as the boys emerged onstage. Screams of joy went up from the audience. Since Concerto was the main character for their performance, there were two teenage girls beside him. He was pretending to chat with them, as they giggled and batted their eyelashes at him. Sonata turned round, and seeing her 'boyfriend' with the other girls, she looked away with a hurt expression on her face, hugging her knees. Right on cue, Concerto started to sing.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world_  
_I could be chasin but my time would be wasted_  
_They got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_  
_They might say hi, and I might say hey_  
_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say_  
_'Cause they got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

As Concerto finished singing, he brushed off the two girls, who gaped at him in disbelief and disappeared backstage in a huff. Sonata's heart quickened as she heard walk over, and her heart jumped when his hand touched her shoulder. Meanwhile, a collective shriek came from the girls in the audience as Allegro launched into a rap verse.

_I know you feel where I'm comin from_  
_Regardless of the things in my past that I've done_  
_Most of it really was for the hell of the fun_  
_On the carousel, so around I spun_

"Was I okay?" Sonata asked Concerto quietly as they sat together onstage, while Cleffis stood by and Allegro continued rapping. Concerto nodded and smiled at her. "You did great." He said, turning his mic off for the meantime. He glanced briefly at the crowd. "I wonder if Cherry is in there…" Sonata's heart wrenched at his words of longing, but still, she gave him a fake smile. "She probably is."

_With no directions, just tryna get some_  
_Tryna chase skirts, livin in the summer sun_  
_And so I lost more than I had ever won_  
_And honestly, I ended up with none_

Cleffis took over as Allegro finished his verse.

_There's so much nonsense, it's on my conscience_  
_I'm thinkin, "Maybe I should get it out"_  
_And I don't wanna sound redundant_  
_But I was wonderin, if there was somethin that you wanna know_

Taking her hand, Concerto helped Sonata up and nodded his head to where Allegro and Cleffis were standing. "Let's go." He said softly, before turning his microphone back on.

_But never mind that, we should let it go_  
_'Cause we don't wanna be a TV episode_  
_And all the bad thoughts, just let 'em go (go)_  
_Go (Go) Go_

Sonata stood at the centre of the stage, with Concerto by her side. A group of male dancers came onstage and began dancing around them, led by Allegro and Cleffis. They danced with rather wide spaces between them, such that Concerto and Sonata were still visible from the audience's perspective. There was a rather audible "Awwww!"as Concerto gently tugged Sonata closer to him and sang to her.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world_  
_I could be chasin but my time would be wasted_  
_They got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

_Sigh…_Sonata thought to herself_. If only that were true…_

_They might say hi, and I might say hey_  
_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say_  
_'Cause they got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

As Allegro resumed his rapping verse, Adagio and Aria watched from amongst the audience, just near the stage. "I have never really paid attention to their concerts before." Adagio remarked to Aria. "They're not bad." Aria stared at Adagio in surprise. This was the first time she didn't hear her snubbing at others. "Uh, yeah…" Aria managed a reply.

_Hands down, there will never be another one_  
_I been around and I never seen another one_  
_Because your style ain't really got nothin on_  
_And you wild when you ain't got nothin on_  
_Baby you the whole package, plus you pay your taxes_  
_And you keep it real while them other stay plastic_  
_You're my Wonder Woman call me Mr. Fantastic_  
_Stop_  
_Now think about it_

Cleffis took over for the next verse.

_I've been to London, I've been to Paris_  
_Even way out there to Tokyo_  
_Back home down in Georgia, to New Orleans_  
_But you always steal the show_

As Cleffis sang, his eyes whisked across the crowd, settling on the violet haired girl right at the front. His heart beat faster when he realised Aria was already staring at him.

_And just like that girl you got me froze_  
_Like a Nintendo 64_  
_If you never knew, well now you know (know)_  
_Know (Know) Know_

Cleffis couldn't take his eyes off Aria even as Concerto took up the chorus. Aria in turn was staring back at him, Her gaze unreadable.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world_  
_I could be chasin but my time would be wasted_  
_They got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_  
_They might say hi, and I might say hey_  
_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say_  
_'Cause they got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

After several more seconds ticked by, Cleffis couldn't hold himself back any longer. He walked over to the edge of the stage and held his hand out to Aria. Shocked, Aria could only accept, and allowed herself to be pulled up onstage. A scream of outrage from Cleffis's fangirls could be heard barely over the loud music. Adagio's mouth dropped open. Sonata, noticing her fellow siren with Cleffis, quickly held back her surprise as Allegro started rapping, Cleffis and Concerto vocalizing with him.

_Everywhere I go, I'm always hearin yo' name_  
_(Aaaa-aaaa-aaah)_  
_And no matter where I'm at, girl you make me wanna sing_  
_(Aaaa-aaaa-aaah)_  
_Whether a bus or a plane, or a car or a train_  
_(Aaaa-aaah)_  
_No other girls in my brain, and you the one to blame_

The three boys opened their mouths and sang the final chorus together. Aria felt blood rush to her cheeks as Cleffis gazed deeply into her eyes.

_Beautiful girls, all over the world I could be chasin but my time would be wasted_  
_They got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

Allegro couldn't resist looking at Adagio from the stage. He really wanted to bring her up on stage and sing to her too…but he couldn't. Either way, She would know of his feelings soon.

_They might say hi, and I might say hey_  
_But you shouldn't worry, about what they say_  
_'Cause they got nothin on you, baby_  
_Nothin on you, baby_

As the song faded away, the audience cheered and applauded loudly for the boy group. Standing in a row, Allegro, Cleffis, Concerto, Aria and Sonata bowed. Most of the audience were happy and had thoroughly enjoyed the performance. However, Aria noticed the few girls who were whispering furiously amongst themselves and glaring at her. Though she was made uneasy by this, Cleffis's comforting grip on her hand told her it was alright.

Looking through the crowd, Sonata caught sight of Storm and Cherry, both clapping and whooping. She could easily see envy in Cherry's eyes, and quickly following the girl's gaze, Sonata realised she was looking right at Concerto, who seemed to be smiling back. Feeling hurt, she quickly pulled her gaze off Cherry and tried to focus on something else. A flash of silver hair in the audience caught her eye. The source was a girl about her age with pale grey skin, silver hair with icy blue streaks and fiery amber eyes. _Wait…she looks like…_Sonata paused, her heart almost stopping and her eyes widening in disbelief when she realised something.

The girl was staring right at her.

Sonata blinked. The girl had vanished.

After the concert, the teenagers headed backstage. "That. Was. Awesome!" Concerto shouted, jumping energetically. He slapped a high five with Sonata, who seemed a little troubled. "I need to go to the bathroom." She said to Concerto softly. "Of course." The boy replied with a happy smile, as Allegro and Cleffis talked excitedly. "So…I'll meet you later at the dining area behind?" Sonata smiled, a hint of sadness concealed behind her pink eyes. "Yeah…sure." As Sonata turned and walked off, Aria watched her from a distance.

Sonata stepped into the bathroom, looking around cautiously. Seeing there was no one in the bathroom, Sonata sighed depressingly to herself. "Why?" She murmured, looking in the mirror at her despondent reflection. "Why can't this stop?" Sonata had tried to keep it deep down, she'd tried to brush it off. But at the end of the day, she still had feelings for Concerto. Who had feelings for someone else. Even though she was-kind of-the dumbest of the Dazzlings, Sonata Dusk was smart and sensible enough to know that she was reaching her limit. She could never hide her feelings from Concerto forever. _Should I tell him?_

Concerto stood just by the buffet table, drinking a glass of fruit punch. The dining area was already slightly crowded, different celebrities and guests mingling together and talking cheerfully. _What's taking Sonata so long?_ He thought to himself. He really wanted to thank her for her good performance from earlier. His heart stopped, however, when he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Hey." Concerto spun round, breaking into a smile. "Hey." He responded. Cherry Blossom, dressed in a pastel collared blouse with a flower shaped necklace, red-brown checkered skirt and brown heels, stood in front of him. "That was a…nice performance you and your group put up just now." She told him softly. The boy ruffled his dark brown hair, his blush easily visible in his pale lilac skin. "Heh…thanks…"He mumbled. "That means a lot coming from you…" A small part of him felt uneasy as he said that. Glancing round his ex-girlfriend, Concerto noticed something. "Where's Storm Caster?" "Oh, I told him I was going to take a drink." Cherry replied, callously brushing off the question. Concerto's heart continued thumping heavily as the girl took a step closer to him. "And…I actually came here looking for you." Cherry admitted. "There's something I want to tell you…" She took a couple more steps closer to him. Concerto's violet eyes widened when he realised their faces were merely inches apart. "Cherry, what are you-"

Sonata stopped and hesitated as she neared the dining area. "Okay." She told herself quietly, attempting to remain calm.

"Just relax. It'll all be…fine if you tell him."

Deep down inside though, Sonata still held out a tiny amount of hope that Concerto would return her affections. She took a deep breath and walked into the dining area.

But as she looked through the small crowds of people, she froze.

_No…it couldn't…it just couldn't…_

Sonata found herself staggering back a couple metres.

At the same time, that small amount of hope was snuffed out, the ashes of it scattered to the breeze.

Concerto…Cherry…were kissing.


	16. Chapter 16: I'm Not That Girl

**Chapter 16: I'm Not That Girl**

**Splashfire99:** I'm Not That Girl does not belong to me. It is from the Wicked musical.

Sonata covered her mouth, trembling violently. She could see Concerto and Cherry right at the end of the buffet table, their faces pressed very tightly together and their arms entangled around the other person. Sonata could easily tell that Concerto was kissing back. Not able to stand the sight any longer, Sonata turned and ran off.

Concerto and Cherry pulled away, gazing into each other's eyes. Cherry smiled at him affectionately. Concerto smiled back of course…before looking behind Cherry and realising that Storm Caster was standing there. Storm Caster was gaping at them in disbelief, his eyes filled with hurt and dismay: he'd seen the kiss. Cherry followed Concerto's horrified gaze and realised her boyfriend was there. She turned pale. "I-I can explain…" "Cherry, we need to talk." Storm said harshly. "NOW!" With that, he grabbed his girlfriend by the wrist and pulled her away. Concerto watched them, still rather dazed from what had just happened. _Cherry just…kissed me,_ he thought to himself. He had always hoped that this moment would come for months, that Cherry would come back to him. And just like he'd imagined, the moment had come and gone. Except that he didn't feel as happy as he'd thought he would be.

Adagio stood just near the entrance to the dining room, snapped out of her thoughts when she caught a glimpse of a certain blue haired girl fleeing past her, covering her eyes and sobbing as though she was running from a nightmare. _Sonata?_ Adagio glanced at the girl running off, but she was out of sight by the time Adagio thought of stepping after her. What was she crying about? Usually, if something like that happened, Adagio would have merely brushed it off and muttered, "Ugh, what a cry-baby." But this time, Adagio felt an uneasy feeling about what had happened to Sonata. And she subconsciously felt sorry for her…  
Adagio was jolted back into reality once more as Allegro came to a stop beside her. "Hey, Adagio." He said with a nervous grin. "Oh, hi." Adagio said. "Good job on the concert." She glanced round. "Shouldn't Citrine be hanging around you right now or something?" Allegro snickered and shook his head. "Nah. She already left. She was a little upset that I didn't bring her up onstage just now." Upon hearing this piece of news, Adagio heaved a sigh of relief. "Whew." "Anyway, it's time for dinner now…" Allegro said. To Adagio's confusion, there was a tinge of anxiety and nervousness behind his voice. "…and I think I know the perfect place to eat." Allegro added, gesturing in a certain direction. "Come on." Adagio nodded, following Allegro as he walked ahead, and wondering where he was taking her.

Sonata ran. She had no idea where to run in a place like this, but as that heart-breaking image of Concerto and Cherry flashed through her mind, she kept on running. Tears streaked down her cheeks as she ran into the janitor's closet and closed the door shut behind her, engulfing herself in darkness. Since there was no one around, she began to sob freely. Her heart wrenched, and she clutched her chest tightly as pain flooded through her body. She felt as though someone was trying to tear her apart. She subconsciously recalled how passionate Concerto and Cherry's kiss had seemed, and she imagined them pulling away, smiling sweetly at each other and holding hands. _No!_ She screamed in her mind, more tears welling up in her pink eyes. Her fists were clenched as Sonata continued to cry, knowing full well that Concerto never felt the same way about her, her initial courage to confess to him washed away by sorrow. She felt foolish. Concerto had already fallen for someone…and it wasn't her.

Aria wandered around the backstage exit of the convention centre. Cleffis had gone off to talk to a couple of fellow pop stars, so she was loitering around herself until he texted her. She had already eaten a small plate of food from the buffet area, and as she leaned against the exit door, she found herself checking her phone repeatedly. Aria had fully realized her feelings for Cleffis by now: she was just growing to accept them. But what would Adagio think of it if she found out?

"Listen, Storm, it's not what you think it is…" A voice came faintly from outside the door, catching Aria's attention.

"Don't lie to me, Cherry." Another voice, filled with anger, argued back. "I know what I saw. I knew something was still going on between you and Concerto!"

The hairs on the back of Aria's neck stood up. _Concerto? Cherry?_ It then dawned on her that the two people in the alleyway outside the exit were Concerto's ex girlfriend and her current boyfriend. Though Aria did not want to intrude on people's privacy, curiosity overtook her, and she stealthily leaned her left ear closer to the door.

"Sigh…Look, Storm, I'm sorry, okay? I wanted to tell you so many times, but-"

"But what? You didn't want me to know you didn't love me anymore? That you were using me to get your ex boyfriend back with you?!" Storm roared.  
_What?_ Aria thought.

"I…" Cherry Blossom seemed to be at a loss for words. "I'm sorry, Storm. I really did love you back then…but I still love Concerto…"

"Sorry doesn't cut it, you heartless user!" Storm shouted. "Feelings or no, you still had the audacity to kiss him!"

A shock went through Aria such that she almost fell against the door. Concerto and Cherry had…kissed?!

"I don't want to listen to your feeble excuses anymore!" She heard Storm yell. "We're DONE!" This was promptly followed by the sound of heavy, running footsteps getting further and further away. Storm had left Cherry in the alley.

Not wanting to hear anything else, Aria jerked her ear away from the door. She still had trouble believing what she had just heard. This could not be good. Aria collapsed against the wall, silently praying that Sonata hadn't seen them kiss.

"Do you know where you're even headed?" Adagio asked, as the two got off an elevator onto the second floor and into a long hallway. Allegro nodded. "Yeah, I do." "Then…where are we going? We're getting further and further from the dining area." Adagio pointed out, as the boy pulled her to a door. "Oh…I wanted to show you a little something." Allegro replied, opening the door and leading her through.

Adagio's eyes widened as she found herself emerging into a beautiful balcony. There were various flowers and small trees growing, walls of glass lined around the place. Exactly in the middle of everything was a picnic table that looked as though it was meant for two. On the picnic table was a large paper bag. Adagio sat down at the table with Allegro and looked round in amazement. "Wow, Allegro, this place is…" Adagio smiled and laughed. "This place is amazing!" The stars in the night sky twinkled above them, the moon glowing softly. It was a rather peaceful night. "I hoped you would say that." Allegro replied with a grin. "Anyway, about dinner…" He reached into the large paper bag that was in front of them and took out two large tacos. Adagio's eyes lit up. "You brought tacos?" In response, Allegro turned red and nodded. "Surprise…" Adagio gasped in delight and took a taco from the boy's outstretched hand. "Whoa…thank you so much, Allegro!" She said, quickly unwrapping the taco and taking a large bite out of it. Allegro chuckled and unwrapped his taco as well. "No problem." He replied, before biting into his food as well. As he ate, he watched Adagio chomp down the taco jubilantly. Upon realising Allegro was still looking at her, Adagio looked up at him, a little surprised before giving him a slight smile.

"Did you…plan this?"

"Yeah." Adagio's smile widened at his reply. "That's…really nice of you." Allegro blushed slightly at this slight praise. "Heh…"

Even though neither said so to the other, both were content in the company they had. As they both peacefully ate their tacos, they could not stop looking at the person seated opposite from them. Allegro had never felt this happy before. And neither had Adagio. Actually, Adagio wasn't sure if she had ever felt happy before this. Initially, she always thought that taking over the world would make her happy, but now that she had grown close to Allegro, and perhaps a little closer to Aria and Sonata in some way, it seemed that happiness could never be achieved that way. Allegro was actually one of those few people she could consider a close friend. Adagio found her heart skipping a beat as she noticed Allegro's turquoise eyes gleaming softly in the moonlight as he gazed at her. Allegro, mesmerized by Adagio's beautiful rose pink eyes, found his heart racing. _I don't know if I can do this..._ For a while, the balcony was nothing but silent, except for the faint crunching sound of tacos.

Adagio, being comfortable around Allegro now, wasn't really concerned much about the manner in which she was eating her taco. After finishing her taco minutes later, she scrunched up the wrapper, walked to a rubbish bin nearby to throw it away, and sat back down, not realising there was a faint smidge of red salsa sauce just above her lips. Allegro, who had already eaten his food, stared at her.

"Uh…Adagio?" He got a blank look.

"What?" The girl asked, confused.

"Your mouth, it's got a little…"

Adagio immediately realised what he meant, and quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Oh! My-My bad!" She laughed awkwardly, her face reddening with embarrassment. She glanced round. "Are there any napkins around here…?" "No, it's okay." Adagio was startled to find Allegro right next to her. She felt his hand on her wrist. "I think I can get that off for you." Allegro muttered. He sounded a little nervous, and his face was now as red as the reddest tomato. Adagio was completely perplexed with Allegro's behaviour, and for some reason, her heart was jumping up and down in her chest because of how close he was. "Alle-" Adagio was abruptly cut off from saying anything else as a pair of lips pressed against hers.

Adagio's eyes widened in shock when she realised what was going on. Meanwhile, Allegro tilted his head slightly, his eyes perfectly closed, and his arms very slowly settling themselves around Adagio's waist. After a few more milliseconds, Adagio found her eyes fluttering close, and she collapsed into Allegro's arms. Her arms tangled themselves around his neck as she slowly reciprocated his kiss. She was reluctant to admit it, but it was…nice. Of course, having previously been busy feeding off negative energy for anything else, this was practically the first time Adagio had kissed anyone, or even get kissed by someone. In her long, long life as a siren, she had seen ponies and people kiss and movies, books and plays. But never had she imagined that it would happen to her.

The moment seemingly passed by them a little too soon. A while later, Allegro gently separated from Adagio, both reluctantly retracting their hands from each other. "You…weren't really planning on actually getting the salsa off my lips, were you?" Adagio said, blinking with astonishment. Allegro sighed, the blush still visible on his face. "I really wanted to tell you this for some time now..." He mumbled.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"I want to tell you that….I…I like you."

Adagio's mouth fell open.

Allegro was too ashamed to meet her gaze, his face growing redder by the second. "Actually, I…" His left hand ruffled his red hair as he nervously spoke. "I've liked you for a long time. But I wasn't brave enough to tell you until now."

Allegro's sincere and shy words of confession made Adagio's heart do a somersault. "Allegro…" Adagio felt a feeling of exhilaration rise within her. Why was she so affected by Allegro's sudden confession? Automatically, Adagio's mind whirled back to the events leading up until then. She remembered the day they first met, their first singing lesson together, when she voiced her sympathy for his predicament with Citrine, and at the concert earlier, when she saw him gazing down at her. She suddenly realised something. She had grown to like being near Allegro and care for him…and she had developed feelings for him as well. And he was reciprocating them! There was a surge of delight in Adagio's heart, but it was quickly replaced by fear. She remembered the day she was banished to the human world along with Aria and Sonata, when they tried to regain their true magic but were defeated cruelly by the (idiot?) Rainbooms. Panic and dread filled her eyes when she saw an image of Allegro, backed up against a wall, staring in alarm and horror up at her siren projection hovering above him. And below that projection, was none other than herself, in her half siren form and grinning evilly.

Allegro, who was still waiting for a reply, saw the fear in her eyes. "Adagio? Are you okay?" The golden haired girl was speechless. "Allegro, I…I like you too…but..." To Allegro's disbelief, Adagio stood up from the bench. "I'm sorry." She told him softly, her eyes filled with sadness. "We…just can't be together." This reply confused the boy, and he stood up, shocked. "What do you mean?" He asked. Seeing the hurt look on his face only made Adagio's heart wrench. "I'm…different from you." She murmured, staring at her feet. "More different than you think."

"So what if we're different?!" Allegro protested, his eyes wide.

"Look, it's complicated, okay?" Adagio burst out. She saw Allegro staring at her, taken aback and dismayed by her outburst. It hurt her as much as it was hurting him, but…it was for the best. As far as Adagio knew, Allegro would never accept her for the siren she really was. "I…I have to go." Feeling slight tears well up in her eyes, Adagio turned and left the balcony, leaving a disheartened Allegro behind.

"Hey, Aria. What are you doing here?" Aria looked up from her book, surprised-and a little embarrassed-to see Concerto. "Oh, I was just, um…reading." Aria said. She saw the worried look on Concerto's face. "What's wrong, Concerto?" "Have you seen Sonata?" "No. Why?" "She was supposed to meet me half an hour ago!" Anxiety arose within Aria with the thought that Sonata could be in danger of some sort. "Wha-what? Where were you supposed to meet her?" "The dining area. She asked to go to the bathroom." Aria bit her lip. She had no idea exactly when Concerto and Cherry had kissed or whether Sonata had seen it, but she hoped, for goodness' sake, that Sonata hadn't gone and done something stupid-

"Hey guys." A voice said weakly. Concerto and Aria turned to see Sonata walking towards them, swaying slightly in her steps. Relief flooded their eyes. "There you are, Sonata!" Concerto said, swiftly going over to her. "What took you so long?" Aria stayed put, peering at Sonata with concern. It wasn't that visible, but she could see that Sonata's eyes were a little red, as if she'd been crying for a long time. _Oh no…_ "Concerto, can I talk to you please?" Sonata asked quietly. "Alone?" Concerto blinked, before nodding slowly. "Okay…"

Concerto had a very uneasy feeling in him as he followed Sonata to a deserted corridor near the backstage area. Sonata faced him, and now that he took a good look at her face, Concerto caught sight of marks down her cheeks. Marks of dried tears. "Concerto…" Sonata said. "Things aren't really working out."  
Concerto was rather bewildered by Sonata's change in attitude. "Sonata, what's the matter?"

"My voice is improving, but…it's still not what it used to be." Sonata told him. "So, I've decided to leave."

Concerto's eyes widened in dismay.

"Wha-what?" Sonata…wanted to leave? He tried to say something, but no words came out of his mouth. The girl continued speaking. "I think it's no use even if I go on. I'm sorry." It was only after Sonata finished her small speech that Concerto's stunned mind was finally able to formulate something. "I don't understand. You're leaving? You're giving up on your dream of singing, just like that?" _I'm giving up on you too…_Sonata thought, despaired since Concerto would probably never know that. "Yes. I am." Sonata sighed sadly. "I guess I was never cut out for this…" _And I guess I was never cut out for you… "But-" _Concerto opened his mouth as he saw Sonata turn away, her eyes darkening. "Why? You're a close friend of mine now, Sonata. You can't just…walk away like this." Concerto's words were only making it worse. _Oh, stop calling me your close friend!_ "I have to walk away." Sonata said, only loud enough for him to hear. "You'll never understand."

"Sonata, I…" Concerto stared at his friend in dismay. The usually happy and cheery girl he knew was gone. He was losing her, he could already sense her slipping away. "Please…" He pleaded softly. "Don't leave…"

There was a long period of silence between the two. Sonata still stood there, her back facing Concerto. He couldn't see her face, but tears were once again streaming down her cheeks. He sounded so desperate. Desperate to get her to reconsider and stay with him as a friend. But she couldn't. It hurt too much. Memories of seeing Concerto's kiss with Cherry appeared in her head once more, and just like that, Sonata took a deep breath and spoke.

"Goodbye, Concerto."

And she slipped out of his grasp.

"Sonata!"

It was too late: she was already gone.

Sonata ran out of the corridor, quickly heading for the main exit. She was just a distance away from it when a certain puffy haired girl stopped her. "Whoa whoa whoa, Sonata!" Adagio said, looking at her suspiciously. "Where are you going?" Sonata froze at the sight of her leader. "You're not leaving so soon, are you?" Adagio questioned suspiciously. Needless to say, Adagio was still reeling over the fact that Allegro had feelings for her, and still a little in despair over the fact that she had to reject his affections. She was also curious as to why Sonata had been seen crying earlier, but questioning her about her current behaviour seemed to be more important now.

Sonata was unable to formulate a single lie. "I was just, uh…" Adagio narrowed her eyes at the girl, making her once again take a step back in fear. "You're hiding something." Adagio said, taking a look at her face. "What is it?" Gulping, Sonata wondered what to do. Adagio would surely punish her in some way if she knew about what she had really done. But either way… Sonata thought about how Adagio was always the one keeping her and Aria in check, making sure they were doing things that contributed to achieving power and magic. How many of Sonata's favourite things(e.g. tacos) had been labelled as time wasters. She remembered how threatening Adagio had been to her if she seemed to drift the slightest bit from their goal. Taking those memories and turning them into a source of courage, Sonata looked directly into the eyes of her leader.

"I've decided to quit being Concerto's apprentice and live a normal human life."

Adagio stared at Sonata in disbelief, before laughing. "Oh please, Sonata. You can't be serious!" "I am serious, Dagi." Sonata retorted. Adagio paused for a few more seconds before glaring at Sonata. "But…we have to get our powers back!" She snapped(even though she herself wasn't so sure about it now). "You can't walk out on me and Aria like this! We need you to get our true Equestrian magic back!" Sonata, amazed at how calm she was feeling, spoke again. "You can manage without me! You don't need me. You two can move on without me the same way the three of us moved on without Silver!" Adagio's eyes widened at the mention of the fourth forgotten siren."What?" Allowing herself to straighten up bravely, Sonata kept on speaking her mind. "Don't you get it, Adagio? I don't want to do this anymore! All those years, you made me think that the only way for a siren to survive was to feed off as much negative energy as possible and regain our Equestrian magic. When the Rainbooms defeated us, I thought I was going to perish. But…now I realise that I don't need my voice or magic, and that I can choose who I want to be! I don't need anyone else to tell me who to be, I can decide for myself!"

Without waiting for a reply, Sonata turned and ran, leaving Adagio gaping at her like a dead fish. Neither knew that Aria had been standing a distance away and had heard everything.

Sonata walked away from the convention centre and into the quiet street. She sighed to herself. She was still trying to believe what she had just done. Seconds later, however, she heard the pounding of footsteps against the cement behind her, and turning around, she saw Aria Blaze coming to a stop beside her. "Sonata, wait." The violet haired girl said breathlessly. Sonata groaned. If Adagio had sent Aria after her, it wasn't working. "Ugh, Aria, What are you doing here? No matter what you say, I'm not going back-"

"I'm not here to ask you to come back."

Sonata stopped walking at looked at Aria in surprise. "You're not?"

She saw the concerned, sad look in Aria's gaze. "Aria?"

"That wasn't the only reason you left…was it?"

Aria was looking at Sonata intently, expecting an answer. She was at a loss for words.

"…"

"You left…also because of Concerto."

Hearing Concerto's name made the tears resurface. Quickly wiping them away with her hands, Sonata sniffled.

"I saw him kissing…Cherry Blossom…"

Aria placed a hand on Sonata's shoulder. "I'm so sorry about that, Sonata. I mean it." She told her quietly. Aria had come to care for not only Cleffis, but for Adagio and Sonata as well over time. Seeing Sonata in such a state, Aria's only wish for her was for her to be relieved of her pain.

"You want to let him go…don't you? You don't want to tell him of your feelings anymore."

After a couple more sniffles and tears, came the reply.

"Yes…"

"I can help you."

Sonata abruptly stopped sniffling and stared at Aria. "You're helping me?" She was surprised to see the normally grumpy Aria smiling kindly at her. "I am." Aria took a deep breath. "I don't know where you plan on going, but…keep in touch with me. I just want to make sure you'll be okay. And I promise I won't tell anyone of your whereabouts." It took a while for Sonata to process this.

"You're really helping me?"

"Yes, I am."

Sonata found herself smiling through her tears. "Thank you, Aria."

Hearing someone thank her like that made Aria's heart warm up.

"No problem." She glanced round. "You'd better go now. It's almost nine. If you're moving out of the motel, you need to get back fast."

Sonata nodded, and turned to leave.

"And Sonata?"

She turned round once more.

"Yes?"

"I know what you're going through." Aria said softly. "If you need a friend to confide in, or a shoulder to cry on…it can always be me."

Aria's words brought a small smile to Sonata's face.  
"

Same here, Aria. Goodbye." She waved, and for the first time, Aria actually waved back with a warm smile. "Goodbye, Sonata." Aria watched Sonata disappear off into the distance, before smiling sadly to herself and disappearing back into the building.

As Sonata walked down the street, she felt free for the first time. She was no longer tied down by Adagio, or by the restrictions she thought came with being a siren. Like she had said, she was free to choose. At the same time, however, there was still a weight on her shoulders. There was no turning back now…she was going to let Concerto go. She was going to let him be happy with someone…even if that someone wasn't her.

Looking around and checking that no one was around to hear her whiny voice, Sonata sang out her feelings.

_Hands touch, eyes meet_  
_Sudden silence, sudden heat_  
_Hearts leap in a giddy whirl_  
_He could be that boy_  
_But I'm not that girl_

The night seemed to swirl around her, the breeze carrying her silent melody all over Canterlot.

_Don't dream too far, don't lose sight of who you are_  
_Don't remember that rush of joy_  
_He could be that boy_  
_I'm not that girl_

Sonata knew she could never be Cherry. Perfect, beautiful, smart, funny. Those words Concerto always used to describe Cherry could never be used to describe her.

_Every so often we long to steal_  
_To the land of what might have been_  
_But that doesn't soften the ache we feel_  
_When reality sets back in_  
_Blythe smile, lithe limb_  
_She who's winsome_  
_She wins him_  
_Lilac hair with a gentle curl_  
_That's the girl he chose_  
_And heaven knows_  
_I'm not that girl_

Tears filled Sonata's eyes as she sang the next heart wrenching verse that followed.

_Don't wish, don't start_  
_Wishing only wounds the heart_  
_I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl_  
_There's a girl I know_  
_He loves her so_  
_I'm not that girl_

As Sonata finished singing, she quietly hugged her arms to her chest, allowing herself to embrace her emotions once and for all.

It was then that she realised something.

With a gasp of disbelief and wide eyes, Sonata tried to sing a line once more. The moment the tune left her lips, she slapped her hands over Her mouth in shock.

Her voice…had been restored!


	17. Chapter 17: Dazzle On

**Chapter 17: Dazzle On**

_This…This can't be! _Stunned, Sonata tried singing again. She was completely in tune-no surprise there because of her singing lessons-but not only that, the croakiness and whiny element which had marred her voice had ceased to exist. She sounded as though her pendant had never been destroyed to begin with. Not knowing whether to be overjoyed or scared, Sonata lightly tapped her neck. Yep, the pendant definitely wasn't there. She carefully vocalised again. "_Aaa-aaa-aaah, aaa-aaah…_" Her voice sounded perfect, much to her confusion. "I don't understand…" Sonata muttered to herself, scratching her head. "Why did this happen all of a sudden?" One thing for sure, she had never anticipated her voice to return to her so abruptly.

"Perhaps I can help with that." A voice said behind her. Hearing that voice made the blue haired girl freeze. _That…That sounds like…_ She turned around to see a figure leaning against a street light. "Who are you?" Sonata asked apprehensively. She suddenly recognised the silver haired girl she had spotted in the audience earlier at the Music Festival. "Wait a minute…" She gasped. Now that she had a long look at this mystery girl, Sonata knew for sure who it was.

And something told her that it definitely wasn't her human counterpart.

"Silver? Silver Ballad?" Sonata asked in astonishment. The girl nodded and walked towards her slightly, a warm smile growing on her face. "It's nice to see you again, Sonata." She greeted her.

Overcome with joy, Sonata rushed forward and hugged her long lost friend happily, tears of joy rather than sadness welling up in her eyes. Silver hugged back, of course, and Sonata could feel her friend's tears falling on her shoulder. "Silver! What are you doing here in the human world?" Sonata asked, pulling away. Silver grinned sheepishly. "Err…it's kind of a long story." Sonata looked down at Silver's outfit. She was wearing a small white cardigan accompanied by an icy blue cocktail dress and brown boots, her cutie mark attached to a silver belt around her waist. "And…how'd you find me?" "Long story also." Silver said. "But anyway, I…saw what happened earlier. Do you really want to quit being a siren? Or at least, an evil siren anyway." Sonata nodded slowly. "Yes." "If you want to go somewhere where Adagio can't find you, you can come and stay with me if you want. My friends and I can help you." Silver wanted to help her too? Sonata felt a little unsure if she could trust Silver after having not seen her for so many years. And she had a lot of questions for her. "It's okay, Sonata." Silver reassured her. "I really want to help you." Hearing sincerity in Silver's voice, Sonata nodded. "Okay. But…do you know why my voice came back?" "Yes. But I can't explain it to you now. It's a little tricky, since I have a lot of things to tell you. I'll take you to my place first if you want."

Aria was waiting at the dessert table for Cleffis, thinking about Sonata. Sonata had made her choice not to become a siren anymore, but what about herself? Aria wasn't so sure on what she really wanted to do right now… As Aria lost herself in an ocean of thoughts, she failed to notice a group of girls coming toward her, holding a large bowl.

"Thanks for coming to the Festival." Cleffis said to one of his old friends. "No problem." His friend replied with a smile. "I'm happy that you actually managed to achieve your dream of being a singer." "It was nice seeing you, bye!" Cleffis waved to his friend before heading away back to the dining area. He had texted Aria to meet him there just minutes earlier. His heart still sped up at the the thought of her, and he recalled her shy gaze towards him during the concert. He smiled to himself, knowing and embracing his feelings for her. However when he was merely a few metres away from entering the dining room, Cleffis heard the sound of liquid splashing, and a scream of horror that was followed by a chorus of laughter. His heart almost stopped.

That scream, for sure, belonged to Aria.

Cleffis suddenly found himself running to the dining area, and what he saw brought him to a halt at the entrance.

Aria was standing right beside the dessert table, her outfit completely drenched with what looked an awful lot like fruit punch, shocked and mortified. A group of girls, around ten of them, were jabbing their fingers at her and laughing. The other people standing around the area, who had no idea what was going on, stared at the scene in complete disbelief. A strawberry blonde with emerald green eyes who was standing at the front of the group held a large empty plastic bowl. As the other girls laughed and taunted Aria, she stayed put with a triumphant and smug grin on her face. "That'll teach you!" She said in a mocking tone. Aria, with fruit punch still dripping slightly from her clothes, turned red. She opened her mouth, presumably to fight back and regain her dignity, when she suddenly realised that Cleffis was there. Their gazes locked for a few seconds, before shame and despair filled Aria's eyes, and she fled the room, covering her eyes.

Cleffis stood there as Aria went past him, his eyes wide as he processed what had just happened. He saw the girls responsible for humiliating Aria laugh even louder, the blonde placing the empty punch bowl back onto its rightful place on the table before joining in the laughter and exchanging high fives with her group. Other than them, no one moved an inch. The others seemed too confused or stunned to know what was going on. But Cleffis did, and he didn't like it. As the girls' laughter filled his ears, his face grew red, and an inferno ignited behind his eyes. In a matter of seconds, Cleffis took three long strides over to the gang of girls and slapped their leader across the face.

With that, the entire room fell silent. The girls' looks of victory were replaced by looks of shock and fear, while the blonde quickly put a hand on her burning red cheek. She stared at Cleffis in fear. Cleffis remained unfazed by the girl's sudden show of weakness in front of her idol, and the words he spoke were spoken harshly.

"I expected better from my fans."

Somewhere from the room, there were a few gasps. The girls' faces reddened with embarrassment upon hearing his statement. The blonde shrunk back, horrified and tearing a little as Cleffis glared at her. "Don't come near me, or Aria ever again." He growled. He turned his fierce gaze onto the other girls. "The same goes for all of you!" He shouted. The girls were stunned into silence, and before they could say anything else, a couple of security guards standing near the entrance came forward and took them away. Not waiting a second longer, Cleffis turned and ran to find Aria.

Somewhere just outside the convention centre, beside a canal, sat a violet haired girl whose outfit was still wet with punch. Aria dangled her legs above the canal listlessly, tears falling from her eyes. She felt…hurt. She had easily known that some of Cleffis's fangirls would be jealous of her, but never had it crossed her mind that they would stoop so low and do something so utterly despicable and humiliating to her. As the laughter flooded her ears again, Aria began to cry softly to herself. Cleffis had seen her…that just made it worse. Her pride and confidence had crumbled to shambles, knowing her crush had been there, and witnessed that moment of embarrassment.

Her ears picked up the sound of footsteps behind her. She closed her eyes tight, still sobbing as the footsteps stopped beside her.

"Aria?"

The girl refused to look at the person, though she already knew who it was. She heard a couple of noises as Cleffis gently sat himself beside her. "Are you alright?" He asked her softly. When a few more seconds ticked by and no answer came, the silver grey haired boy shifted closer to her by a few centimeters and placed his arm around her as she continued crying. "Hey, hey,it's okay, Aria…" Cleffis soothed, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder. "You don't have to feel sad, I'm here for you…" After a couple more moments, Aria couldn't hold herself back anymore. She turned and hugged her mentor tightly, startling him. The boy stiffened for a second, before relaxing and returning the hug, his heart growing warm. He felt his shoulder become wet as Aria's tears continued to trickle down. "Aria, please…" Cleffis pleaded softly, not wanting to see her so sad. "Don't cry anymore…It's alright…" Pulling away slightly, he gazed at Aria. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy: Cleffis hated seeing her this way. After a moment of consideration, Cleffis softly placed a hand on her cheek, wiping her tears away. As he had expected, Aria's violet eyes widened in astonishment at what he was doing.

"Cleffis…"

"Aria…"

As hazel eyes met violet eyes, both teenagers couldn't resist being drawn in. Sitting together just beside a canal, outside the convention centre, the two of them leaned their heads closer to each other, their heart rates rising drastically. Aria didn't have time to rethink her decision before their lips met.

The kiss lasted for only a couple of seconds, but it was a fierce one that sent intense electric shocks through their bodies. Both of them had been hiding so much feelings from each other that now that they could show them, the emotions came out like a waterfall bursting through a dam.

Both of them pulled away from each other, heavily gasping for breath. It took a while for their actions to sink in, and once that happened, they gaped at each other in shock. _What…the heck…?!_ "Did…we just…?" Aria asked blankly. Cleffis's face reddened at her question. "I…think so?" He said, his heart fluttering from the kiss. But that meant…Realisation hit him like a giant wave. He looked at his assistant in surprise. "Aria…you…like me?" He noticed an extremely visible blush spread across Aria's face before she regained the courage to look up at him. "Yes." She admitted. "I think I'm in love with you, Cleffis…" Seeing the astonishment in the boy's eyes, she found herself adding on. "I really didn't want myself to, but…my opinion on you being a good-for-nothing playboy changed slowly after I realised how much you cared about me as your assistant." She looked down at her feet, finding it a little awkward to look at Cleffis now. "And, I found myself actually feeling safe and happy around you more than others." She decided to omit the peculiar dream she had involving her fellow sirens and Cleffis's fellow group members as an irritating singing chorus. "Every time I was around you, my heart also started beating faster. So I realised that I had a crush on you." A brief period of silence ensued before Cleffis laughed slightly. "Okay…wow! That was…a lot to take in!" He commented with a grin. Disappointment welled up in Aria's chest upon hearing him._ I guess he doesn't love me…_ The tone he was using made her feel slightly that she was being ridiculed. "I'll give you some time to take it in, then…" She muttered, attempting to get up and walk away. However, she felt a hand on her wrist before she could move an inch. "Wait." Aria turned to see Cleffis gazing at her affectionately. "I love you too, Aria." Her eyes widened, seeing the sincerity in his hazel eyes. "You do?" "I loved you this whole time." Cleffis said tenderly, a smile forming on his lips. "Didn't you realise how you drew my attention away from the others?" So that was why Cleffis stopped flirting with his fangirls. "I did realise it, but…" Aria smiled. "I never thought you actually liked me."

A moment later, Cleffis spoke up again. "So Aria, what do you say we get out of this place and go get some pizza for late supper or something?" This confused Aria. "Pizza? Why now?" When she saw the smile on the boy's face, she quickly realised what he actually meant. "Hang on. You're asking me…" "To be my girlfriend?" Cleffis finished. "Yes I am." Aria laughed and gave her new boyfriend a hug.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Welcome to my humble apartment." Silver opened the door, leading Sonata inside. Sonata, carrying her suitcase of things, stared around in amazement. "Wow…you have a big place! Actually, it's a big difference from my motel room!" Sonata's motel room seemed more like a garbage dump compared to this. The walls and floor were almost completely carpeted, and the furniture and appliances around were all of the highest qualities. "How'd you even afford all this stuff?" Sonata asked, as Silver walked over to her bedroom door. "I was at the Music Festival because I was an invited guest." Silver replied, turning the doorknob. "I'm in a musical group of my own, you know." Sonata was astonished. "You're in a musical group? With who?"

Right as she said that, Silver opened the door. Sonata was a little startled to see two figures sitting inside already. Both of them looked up at her in shock and surprise as Silver brought her into the room.

"You're back." The first girl, a green and pink haired girl with blue eyes and tea green skin said to Silver. "But...why are you bringing her here?" "Yeah, what's she doing here?" The second girl, who had short white and blue hair, grey eyes and pale purple skin, stared at Sonata suspiciously. Sonata considered retreating outside the room, but Silver held out her hand in front of her. It's okay, you guys. We're helping her now." She explained. The two girls' mouths dropped.

"Huh?" The white haired girl asked blankly.

"Why?" The green haired girl said.

For the next fifteen minutes, Sonata sat down on Silver's bed and explained everything to the girls. The trio listened carefully, nodding finally to show they understood. "You really don't want to go feeding off negative energy and rule the world anymore?" Asked the white haired girl. Sonata nodded. "Yes. And…" She paused, sadness filling her eyes once more. "I really want to get over Concerto." The green haired girl sat by her side and patted her shoulder reassuringly. "We'll help you start anew, Sonata." She told her. "I promise." A few seconds later, she added, "Oh right. My name's Limelight Splash." "And I'm Chandelier Frost." The white haired girl said warmly. "I'm Sonata Dusk. Pleased to meet you both!" Sonata replied with a big grin. "Limelight and Chandelier are the other two members in my musical group." Silver explained to Sonata. "Our group name is' The Starlets'." "Wow, that's a nice name!" Sonata commented." I've never heard of you guys before, though." "We debuted a week ago." Limelight said. "Maybe that's why." Sonata then turned back to Silver. "You still haven't told me how you ended up in the human world." She said.

Silver sighed. "I came here some time after you, Aria and Adagio did. After I left, I tried researching on ways that I could sing and use magic without feeding off the negativity others."

"That must've been tough." Sonata commented.

"You bet it was. My book of science and magic notes got thicker and thicker as the days went by. I went out of my house almost ten times a day just to collect materials for my experiments. But after three months, I had no luck."

"Then what happened?"

"I was living in a small town at the edge of what became present day's Appleloosa. It didn't take long for the townsfolk to discover I was a siren disguised as a pony. So they destroyed my gem pendant and chased me out." Silver's eyes darkened despondently as she remembered the lowest point of her life as a siren. "I ran deep into a forest, and ended up in the home of a caring alchemist. She sympathized with me after hearing my story and gave me refuge from the other ponies in her home deep in the woods. But I knew couldn't hide there for long, and I told her this after a couple of weeks. And she gave me a new gem pendant." Silver lightly tugged the blue pendant out from beneath her collar to show Sonata. "It had the power to transport me from Equestria to the human world without being tracked."

"So you came here to further your research." Sonata said.

"Yep. I realised I still had my voice after my gem was destroyed, so I continued experimentations after I came to the human world and settled in Manehattan. And then, I eventually succeeded in modifying the gem pendant the alchemist gave me to feed off positive energy rather than negative. That way, I wouldn't bring harm to anyone." Silver finished.

"I see." Sonata said thoughtfully. Turning to look at Limelight and Chandelier, she then noticed the two also had identical blue pendants around their necks. "Are you two sirens as well?" Sonata asked curiously. Chandelier blushed slightly and shook her head. "No, we're not. All our siren powers come from the gems themselves." "We come from this world, not Equestria." Limelight added. Sonata was a little puzzled by this. "Then how'd you get those pendants?" "Silver gave them to us." Limelight answered, motioning to her friend and leader.

Silver continued explaining."I suspected that you three-The Dazzlings, or whatever you call yourselves-were up to no good. I noticed many instances of negativity showing up all over the city throughout the years, and I couldn't settle all of them by myself. Then, I ran into Limelight and Chandelier a year ago. They became my friends, and they even tried their best to understand and accept me when I revealed I wasn't of this world. And since I felt the best way to deal with the negativity caused by three sirens was to have a group with the same number, I used my research and the fragments from my former gem to create two new, perfectly working pendants for them. I also used my materials to transfer some magic from my pendants into theirs." "This way, we were able to absorb magic and solve conflicts between people at the same time." Chandelier chimed in with a grin.

"So, that's what you've been doing all these years?" Sonata said to Silver, who nodded. "Yes." "And…" Sonata paused. "How'd you know I left the convention centre so easily?" Silver, Limelight and Chandelier all turned red with embarrassment and coughed awkwardly. "We've kind of been stalking you three." Limelight admitted. "We had no idea your powers were already gone." "But anyway…" Chandelier smiled at Sonata. "It's great to know you're willing to change your ways, Sonata." Then, with a sad smile, she added, "I really am sorry for you. Concerto doesn't know what he's missing out on." "Heh…thanks?" "Oh, and Sonata." Silver said. "You said that you'll still be in contact with Aria. Are you sure you can trust her?" Sonata nodded. "Yes, I'm sure." Silver smiled warmly. "Well then, that's good enough for us. If you trust her, so do we."

As it turned out, the remaining members of Triple Rewind and the Dazzlings left the Festival at almost the same time. Allegro, Concerto and Adagio had chosen to return to their respective hotels while Cleffis and Aria were heading out on what was to be their first date. For some reason, Cleffis and Aria noticed that their teammates' behaviour seemed to be a little different. Adagio was a little more uncomfortable towards the three boys, Allegro in particular, and Allegro himself showed some discomfort when interacting with her before they parted ways. Concerto, as Aria had expected, seemed a little dazed and drained of his energy and happiness. He had told everyone else of Sonata's abrupt departure. Though they were initially disbelieving and shocked, there was nothing they could do about it. And so they left the Festival with heavy hearts.

Aria was still a little light headed and struggling to adapt to the new fact that she was now Cleffis's girlfriend. But as the twosome left to go to the nearest cafeteria, holding hands, Aria's mind drifted back to Sonata. Where had she gone, now that she was trying to do things on her own? As if right on cue, Aria's phone beeped. "Oh, hang on. I have to get this." Cleffis looked away politely as Aria checked her messages. _Oh, Sonata sent me something._ As she read the text, however, she couldn't stop herself from letting out a barely audible gasp of shock.

_Silver?_


	18. Chapter 18: Everybody Talks Too Much

**Chapter 18: Everybody Talks Too Much**

**Splashfire99: **Spoiler alert: This chapter contains the explanation behind a siren's voice. I apologise if my theory causes any confusion( believe me, I myself was a little confused myself when I came up with it :p).

Concerto lay on his side back in the hotel, his eyes still pretty much wide open even though it had been at least an hour since he had climbed into bed. Everything that had happened at the festival was presently a boggled mess in his head. Things had occured so quickly for him to comprehend. First, Cherry had kissed him, and in doing so he accidentally agitated Storm, and following that, his assistant and close friend Sonata had chosen to leave. Due to this, Concerto had no idea whether to consider himself happy or sad right now. And even though he was tired, he seemed to be restless enough to stay awake. Though his heart still fluttered slightly at remembering Cherry kissing him, it was weighed down once he remembered Sonata. He still had trouble believing that she had left him so abruptly, and for some reason, the explanation she had given did not click. She had been perfectly happy after the concert had ended: so why the sudden change? When she came to tell him of her decision to leave, she seemed tired and despondent, as though the happiness and energy had been extracted out from her in some way. _Goodbye, Concerto._ Her final words to him before leaving echoed relentlessly in his head, making small pearl sized tears form in Concerto's eyes. He'd never realised Sonata would disappear from his life so quickly. And, now that he thought about it, she was a factor that contributed to brightening up his life these past few days. Her enthusiastic, chirpy voice, her bright eyes, her beautiful blue hair that seemed to glow in the sun. Losing Sonata was in his head more than the possibility that Cherry would return in his life. That got him thinking about Storm Caster. His anger towards him for flirting with Sonata had simmered down by now. Instead, Concerto found himself pitying on him slightly: he wondered how hurt he actually felt when he discovered his girlfriend cheating on him. After all, Cherry didn't seem to show much concern for the poor fellow. But wasn't that a good thing on Concerto's behalf?

After thinking over matters for a couple more minutes, Concerto decided that his feelings were still mixed. _Ah, I'll settle this tomorrow…_ He thought to himself, turning over on one side and closing his eyes, finally settling himself and giving in to sleep.

The Next Day

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" Sonata was abruptly startled out of her sleep. Her eyes shot open to see two faces smiling down at her. "Who-wha-?" Sonata was initially a little confused until the memories from the day before came back into her head. "Oh, morning guys." She mumbled, sitting up sleepily and rubbing her eyes." "You'd better hurry downstairs, Sonata." Silver piped up. "Limelight just finished making pancakes!" "Not to mention they're going to get cold if you don't eat them now, my dear." Chandelier added. Sonata stared at them with wide, astonished eyes. "Pancakes?"

Usually, as Sonata recalled, she couldn't afford to eat much at the motel. The most she remembered eating was two small slices of French toast for breakfast. Now, however, she found herself face to face with a freshly made stack of pancakes covered with golden maple syrup. Not only that, it was accompanied by a small omelette seasoned with pepper and two small sausages. Sonata gawked at her plate for a few seconds, before turning to look at Silver, Limelight and Chandelier. All of them had the same omelette and number of sausages as she had, except that each of them only had two pancakes.

"Aren't you guys going to eat more pancakes?" Sonata asked.

The trio politely shook their heads. "We're alright, Sonata." Limelight said with a smile. "You should eat more." A little moved by her new friends' generosity, Sonata turned red. "Thanks." She muttered. As the four ate their breakfast, Silver spoke up. "We'd better be quick. We'll be bringing Sonata to that small music club just down the street." Sonata looked up in confusion. "Club?" "Don't worry, the place is pretty safe." Chandelier explained, chewing on a piece of omelette. "It's a family-run music club meant only for teenagers aged 13-18. Silver, Limelight and I performed there before we were signed to a record label and became famous." "Perhaps if you are able to perform there, you can earn yourself a living." Limelight piped up. "They do pay their performers a pretty impressive salary if they do well." Sonata considered this for a short while. "Well…it does sound good…" It would be nice to start her life anew by doing things herself for once, without Adagio around to pull her puppet strings or Concerto to cause her heartache. "…But how do I even know if my voice is back for good?" Sonata vocalised a couple of notes, confirming her voice was still with her. Silver sighed, finishing her second pancakes. "Oh that's right. I haven't told you how sirens' voices actually work." Limelight, Chandelier and Sonata watched as Silver got up from her table and walked into the kitchen. "Where's she going?" Sonata asked Limelight blankly. "She needs a little example to show you." Limelight said. "This could be a little difficult to explain by mouth alone." Seconds later, Silver returned with an empty glass and a ceramic plate. "Okay…" The silver haired girl took a deep breath.

Sonata was a little baffled as Silver held the empty glass in front of her. "Let's pretend that this glass is you." Silver said. Still not really comprehending what her friend was trying to demonstrate to her, Sonata gave her a slow nod. "Uh-huh…" "Alright, and…the air inside this glass represents your voice. This represents you when you still had the gem pendant to convert and amplify the magic inside you to your voice." Silver then proceeded to cover the glass with a ceramic plate. "Now, this is you after your gem was destroyed." Sonata quickly understood: this basically meant that without the magic to amplify and bring out her voice, her voice was sort of trapped inside her. "Okay, then what?" Sonata asked curiously. "Per say, if I were to cut a hole in this ceramic plate, what would happen to the air inside the glass?" Silver asked, leaning her head towards Sonata. To her relief, Sonata snapped her fingers, indicating she realised what Silver meant. "The air inside the glass would be allowed to escape like when the glass wasn't covered by anything."

"Exactly."

"But what does that mean exactly?" Sonata asked.

"Sonata…what is the most important thing a singer needs to really be successful?" Chandelier asked. "You know, besides a good voice." Sonata thought for a moment. She hadn't really heard much of other people's songs, but from what she had heard… "Emotions?" She said. Silver nodded vigorously, a little pleased that Sonata understood what she was talking about. "Right. And not just any kind of emotions, your true emotions. Whenever people sing, they have to really put themselves in character in order to sing well. But it's a little different in case of a siren." "What do you mean?" "I mean, that according to what I've done in my research, a siren has to use their true feelings to sing and actually use their magic without the help of a gem pendant. And I'm pretty sure being ambitious and taking over the world is not what your true feelings tell you, is it, Sonata?" Sonata shook her head. "Of course not." Practically, Sonata had gone along with that stuff because she had blindly assumed that it was the only way a siren could survive. By feeding off negative energy and thus becoming more powerful. "Are you saying that this whole time, I was holding myself back from regaining my voice?" "I suppose so." Silver muttered with a shrug. "You were trapped since you were afraid to reveal your true self to Adagio and Aria, and too afraid to show to anyone that you had feelings for Concerto." Realisation hit Sonata. "So…after I told Adagio of how I really felt and decided to leave…" "Not only that." Silver added. "When you sang, you allowed yourself to show your sadness that Concerto doesn't reciprocate your feelings. That's also what allowed your voice to return." Sonata's mind took a while to link everything together. "I get it…that's why you still had your voice even after your gem was destroyed! Since you'd already shown your true colours, there was nothing holding the magic back!" She exclaimed.

Silver smiled and nodded. "Yep." Sonata clearly remembered how she had sung her of her unrequited feelings for Concerto the night before. "Well, from what I've heard, you'll be hired as a performer at that music club for sure, Sonata." Chandelier said. "You're a great singer." The girl turned a little pink. "Thanks…" "So…" Limelight checked the clock. "It's nine o' clock. The dance club should be open now." Silver and Sonata both jumped up from their table simultaneously. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!" They said. Both of them looked at each other in disbelief, as Limelight and Chandelier started snickering.

"Yep." Chandelier whispered to Limelight. "I can totally tell why they were best friends before."

Adagio sat motionless at a small rickety table in her motel room, staring at the empty air in front of her. Ever since Allegro's sudden confession to her the previous night, Adagio had felt as though she was trapped at a crossroads. Without a doubt, she had turned him down, despite the fact that she did actually like him back. After all, a fifteen year old human and a thousand plus year old siren could never be together like normal people…right?

Her phone beeped, prompting Adagio to check. A text message from Allegro popped up on the screen.

**I might have to cancel our singing lesson today. Mr Biz asked me to meet him in his office. I have a feeling it won't be a short meeting…**

Some part of Adagio was a little relieved that she probably wouldn't see Allegro; some part of her was dismayed." Agh!" Adagio scowled in frustration. _Maybe I should just go for a walk!_

The walk didn't make anything better. As Adagio walked down the street, as usual, she had the feeling she was being watched: literally. The street did have a small number of people around today. Many of them stared at her as she walked past, and as she stepped away, she heard whispers behind her back. Trying to remain calm, she told herself to ignore them, but she could sense a thousand burning stares on her and their whispers flooded her ears. Her heart beat faster. _Something's…not right…_ She spotted the familiar taco stall and decided to eat a taco before returning to her hotel room to avoid the peculiar attention. "Uh…one taco, please." She said, putting out a couple of coins. To her bewilderment, the taco vendor, whom she was somewhat acquainted with, looked a little embarrassed to see her. "Yes, uh, r-right away, miss…" He stammered, immediately getting to work. Adagio watched him sceptically. This was a sure sign that there was something off today. Overcome with curiosity, she quickly blurted out a question loud enough for only him to hear.

"Is…something wrong?"

At that, the man almost froze. He quickly turned around, and Adagio saw the intense shade of red on his face. "Umm…well…" He scratched his head nervously. "Was it...something I did?" She found herself asking. The man's face reddened further. "You…haven't seen it yet?" "Seen what?" With a shaky sigh, the taco vendor took out his phone, went to a page, and showed it to Adagio. The girl stared at it, her eyes widening with horror and her heart almost stopping from shock.

_No._

Upon opening the door to Mr Biz's office, Allegro found himself being greeted with an extremely angry and hostile glare. "I'm sure you should know the reason why I called you here, Allegro." Mr Biz said, his voice cold. Allegro sat down in front of his manager's table. "Actually, as a matter of fact, I don't." He said. Truly, he was confused: what in the world was his manager mad about? "You know how publicity is important for Triple Rewind to rise, am I right?" "Well, of course, Mr Biz." "Then, how do you explain THIS?!" Allegro was completely startled when Mr Biz dumped an open magazine on the table in front of him. "What-" Initially unable to comprehend what was going on, Allegro looked at the page which Mr Biz had turned to. His eyes widened with horror. Right there, printed very clearly on the page itself, was a photograph of him kissing Adagio at the Music Festival. Even more shocking was the article title. "Allegro Cheats, Citrine Devastated?!" Allegro read aloud, still rather taken aback from what he was seeing. "I remember perfectly that I warned you not to go any nearer to that assistant of yours!" Mr Biz roared. "Now thanks to you, Triple Rewind's popularity will go straight into the ditches!"

"What?!" Allegro suddenly had no idea how to react to this situation. "Mr Biz, Adagio is the one I love, not Citrine!" "But you're not supposed to let the world know that!" Mr Biz was glaring at Allegro as though Allegro had committed a serious crime. "Every celebrity has to pay a price for their success and fame. You need to get used to that!"

This sentence was followed by a shocked silence. Outside the office, Cleffis and Concerto both had their ears pressed firmly against the door. Both of them cringed upon hearing Mr Biz's words.

Inside, Allegro was stunned speechless. When he had first agreed to train as a pop star, he had known that he would have to sacrifice a lot of things. But little had he known he would have to sacrifice even his life choices! How could this be?! As Allegro stared at his manager, whose face was an infuriated red and his eyes fierce, rage bubbled up inside him. No. He was the leader of Triple Rewind, but he was still a regular human! No one was going to make his choices for him! Without further consideration, Allegro started shouting at Mr Biz.

"A price?! I already gave up so many things in becoming a singer, and now you want me to even give up my choice on who to love?! I never asked for any of this to happen, I never wanted to pretend to be in love with some vain, stuck-up model in the first place! And now you're blaming me for following my heart?!"

Ignoring the sudden shock written on Mr Biz's face, Allegro Flare kept flaring up. "I became a singer because I loved to sing! You told me I had a talent, and so I wanted to nurture that talent into something more! I didn't care whether I became famous or not!" His voice faltered slightly at the thought of Adagio. "But…if I have to let someone else decide who I really am, then…maybe singing isn't the profession for me." The reddish brown haired boy stood up from his seat, glaring violently at his manager. "I'll leave you to settle this, Mr Biz, but I want to make my own decisions. If you're still too blind to see that, then I'll quit if you want me to." After finishing his outburst, Allegro turned and left the office.

Cleffis and Concerto quickly yanked themselves away from the door seconds before it was pushed open. Allegro stormed past them, not even noticing they were there, and ran out of the building. The two boys stared after him, dumbfounded. "That was…loud." Concerto said. "What are we going to do, Cleffis? If Mr Biz is going to ask Allegro to quit-" "That's not what I'm worried about." Cleffis said, worriedly looking in the direction in which their leader had gone. "I'll quit too if Mr Biz insists on keeping Allegro with Citrine!"

"What?" Adagio let out a gasp as she read the article. "Everyone says Allegro cheated on Citrine with you." The taco vendor explained quietly. "Which…I'm not sure is true, but…" Adagio, knowing for sure that this wasn't the case, immediately defended herself and Allegro. "You have to believe me, that's not what happened!" Adagio hissed, quickly glancing around to check no one else was around. "I mean, he did kiss me and everything, but how can everyone still think he's dating-" She paused when she saw the taco vendor staring at her in confusion. "…Is there something I don't know about Allegro and Citrine here?" He asked blankly. Adagio looked at him for a couple more seconds before sighing softly. "He never liked Citrine. Their relationship was all a publicity stunt by Allegro's manager to make Triple Rewind more popular." This proved a lot for the taco vendor to take in. "What?" He was astonished by this news. "But that means that Allegro, by right, isn't dating anyone…" His eyes widened before he looked back at Adagio. "He…likes you?" Adagio froze as the memories of Allegro's confession flooded back into her head. "Yes, but…" An image of how she had rejected Allegro appeared in her head, and fear and dismay entered her mind." I shouldn't be telling you this…" She turned and ran off, leaving a rather speechless taco vendor behind.

Adagio never paid attention to any other people as she fled all the way back to her motel. Once she was back in her motel room, she immediately broke down and began to cry. _I don't understand!_ She already hated Citrine Gem alone, and now what? The media had posted out her relationship with Allegro, placing Citrine in the right and Adagio in the wrong. Not to mention that 'Alletrine' was shipped by many fans and non fans. How would she be able to walk around anywhere without attracting the wrong attention? Adagio's tears only increased when she thought of Allegro and the trouble he was facing now. There was almost a hundred percent confirmation that his manager was giving him a long lecture on caring about the popularity of the group. _Perhaps I hadn't showed up, Allegro wouldn't have gotten himself in this mess…_

_No! What are you doing, you fool? Are you pitying on a human?!_ A voice shrieked in her head. _Why do you even have feelings for him?!_ At that thought, Adagio looked in the mirror at herself. Her face was wet with tears, and her eyes were red and puffy. In short, she looked pathetic and pitiful. "Ugh, what is wrong with me?" She muttered scornfully, drying her tears. She was reminded that a siren was still a siren. Even if she had feelings for Allegro. Straightening herself up, Adagio clenched her fists, pushing Allegro-and her sentiment-to the back of her mind. _I am Adagio Dazzle, leader of the Dazzlings!_ She thought to herself. _I don't have time for such nonsense!_ Adagio went to her closet and changed into her dark coloured hoodie and jeans. Forgetting Allegro was better than anything: she now realised that sticking with him would only make her start further and further from what she was really meant to do.

She would get her true Equestrian magic back. With or without Aria and Sonata.

The afternoon sun shone brightly in the sky, beating down everyone on the streets. Among them, Concerto Dawn strolled aimlessly, his mind completely empty as if it were a vacuum.

"Concerto!"

Concerto's heart jumped-though not as much as he thought it would-at the sound of that voice. Cherry Blossom came to a stop beside him, Her eyes bright. "Hey there." She greeted him. Concerto smiled at her. "Hey." He attempted to sound somewhat happy to see her, even though for some reason she did not seem so special to him anymore. "About yesterday…" "Nah, it's fine." Cherry cut him off. "Storm broke up with me yesterday." That sent a shock through Concerto, though part of him had actually seen it coming. "Oh gosh, is he…?" "I'm sure he's fine." Cherry reassured him. "He'll get back on his feet eventually." Her callously spoken words sent a slight chill up Concerto's spine. "But anyway…I've been thinking about a lot of things." Cherry continued, gazing at Concerto shyly. "Maybe I was still in love with you this whole time…"

Concerto's eyes lit up at her sudden confession. "Really?"

"I…I think so. Would it be okay for us to…lift off where we started?"

Cherry was asking to be his girlfriend again! Concerto had been hoping so long for this moment, ever since the day she had chosen to break up with him. He'd always imagined that they'd get back together and spend time with each other again. But as Concerto thought about it more, "yes" was stuck in his throat. It occured to him how Cherry had not seemed to care much about other's feelings. She had dismissed the subject of her ex boyfriend so callously, both the night before and a few minutes earlier. And what about Sonata? Wasn't Sonata supposed to be Concerto's girlfriend in Cherry's eyes? Cherry hadn't even asked about Sonata at all. This could not possibly be the same, sweet innocent girl he had fallen in love with a few years ago. Even if she was, perhaps she had changed…or maybe she had been this careless of other's feelings the whole time and he hadn't noticed.

Wondering what answer to give, Concerto decided to ask the girl another question. "But what about my girlfriend?" He asked. "What do I say to her about this?" Cherry waved her hand dismissively. "I'm sure if you let her down gently and wish her well, she'll be okay." She said. Despite the soft, sweet tone of Cherry's voice, Concerto could trace the coldness in her words. "So…what do you say, Concerto?" Cherry asked, her voice reverting to a warmer tone. Concerto remained speechless for a short while. To be honest, he felt more downcast than before because of Cherry's behaviour. _Oh…I wish Sonata was here…_ Rather than being happy that he had finally won Cherry over, he found himself longing for his energetic and cheerful friend instead. It had been barely a day without her, but the memory of her leaving seemed as though it had happened minutes ago. Why did Concerto miss her so much like this? As his memories with Sonata flashed before him, the blindfold fell from Concerto's eyes. The happiness and warmth from those times temporarily ran through his veins as he thought of them, and as her bright and cheerful voice resonated in his ears, his heart did a complete somersault. Knowing full well that he did not have to think it over any further, Concerto looked directly at Cherry, who was gazing at him expectantly for a reply.

"I'm sorry, Cherry…but I'll have to say no."

As Concerto had expected, Cherry had not been anticipating this answer, and she stared at him in confusion and disbelief. "Huh? Wha-? Why?" "I…I don't love you anymore, Cherry. It took me a very long time to realise that, but I don't have feelings for you." "B-but-" Cherry's face was red as she stammered, obviously not used to handling a rejection. "But I still love you, Concerto!" "I don't know if that's for sure, but..." Concerto found himself no longer acting shy in front of the girl, the rapid beating of his heart and other love symptoms that he used to experience around her now completely non-existent. "I don't think you're the right person for me, Cherry. You don't care about anyone else but yourself, even if another person's feelings will be hurt by your actions." "That's not true!" The girl protested. "Just please give me a chance!" Concerto, who had already witnessed a number of occasions which made her defence statement futile, shook his head. "Sorry Cherry. I can't." Concerto made to turn around and leave when he remembered one more important point was necessary.

"And…I think the one I really love is…Sonata."


	19. Chapter 19: Don't Write Me Off

**Chapter 19: Don't Write Me Off**

**Splashfire99: **Oh, right, I had wanted to answer something from someone during the last chapter, but missed out on it during uploading. Well...Limelight?

**Limelight: **Right. Uh...no, I'm not actually related to Lemon Zest, but you could put it that way in a theory sense...*whisper*umm, who's Lemon Zest?

**Splashfire99: **Sigh...never mind. But anyway, maybe I'll just make Limelight and Lemon good friends later...that was actually a pretty good idea...

Aria had been waiting outside the office building for Cleffis, when a reddish brown blur rushed past her. _What the-?_ Quickly refocusing her vision as the blurry figure ran out of sight, Aria came to realise that the figure was none other than Allegro Flare, and from what it looked like, the way his feet stomped loudly on the gravel and the way his arms swung wildly, he was pretty infuriated. Aria was still staring at the direction in which the boy had run off to when her boyfriend came out.

"Aria." Feeling the hand on her shoulder, Aria turned around.

"Hey, Cleffis." Upon seeing the disturbed expression on her face, she knew for sure Cleffis had knowledge of his leader and friend's predicament. "I just saw Allegro run past. What happened in there?" She asked in concern.

"It's a little…hard to explain…" Cleffis, though still worried about Allegro, saw the concern in his girlfriend's eyes and almost melted. Aria Blaze had definitely come a long way from that grumpy, cold grouch he had first met.

"Well…I guess we''ll go take a walk in the park now before stopping somewhere for our singing lesson. I'll tell you on the way."

"What?!" Aria was completely mortified after hearing Cleffis's explanation. "How could Mr Biz do something like that?" Of course, she did not know much about Triple Rewind's manager, but given what Adagio had told her the other day, he wasn't exactly a pleasant person to be around.

Cleffis sighed and shook his head. "He only cares about making our group popular. It's not exactly a good or bad thing itself, but he's taken it too far this time." Aria found herself pitying on Allegro, and also a little for Adagio. But she had no idea if Adagio had ended up reciprocating Allegro's feelings of not, so…

"Did Mr Biz react in any way after Allegro left?"

"…Not exactly. When I took a glance at him through the office window, he didn't seem so angry. In fact, he looked deep in thought."

Both stayed silent for a short while, before Aria spoke again. "I hope everything will turn out okay." She said, placing a hand on Cleffis's shoulder.

Cleffis smiled back at her, gently placing his hand on hers. "Thanks, Aria."

The pair turned to face the pathway, silently enjoying each other's company as they strolled. At the same time, however, they worried over their separate problems. As Cleffis worried over the problem with Mr Biz, Aria was thinking of Adagio and Sonata. How was Adagio dealing with this rumour? Also, this wasn't the only shock Aria had to deal with. Sonata, whom had left the previous night to start anew, had somehow found her way to their long and forgotten fellow siren, Silver Ballad. For one, a small part of Aria wasn't at all surprised, considering her brief case of "deja vu" at seeing a girl which looked like Silver(which was her) a few days ago.

But still, Aria wondered if Sonata was alright with her. All she knew was that Sonata was living with her and her friends, had gotten her voice back for some reason(well, good for her), and nothing more. Aria decided that perhaps, when the time was right, she would pay them a visit.

Deciding to text Sonata, she took out her phone and wrote:

**So…how's Silver treating you?**

Less than a minute later, a reply came.

**She's great. She's taking me to an audition at a dance club so that I can earn a life for myself :).**

Aria smiled slightly at the smiley face. And plus, that sounded like a caring action on Silver's behalf. She tested back.

**Good luck on the audition.**

The reply came after a while.

**Thanks :) Btw Silver suggested I record the audition so that I can take note of how I can improve my singing. I may be a siren, but I still have a lot to learn. Maybe I'll send it to you :)**

Aria texted a last reply before placing her phone back into her pocket.

**Sure :).**

_Wow,_ a voice in her head said. _You've really changed from that grouchy siren everyone first knew._ It was only upon thinking that which Aria realised it was true. Aria had kept that same, cold and grumpy personality for years before and after being banished to the human world, but meeting and growing close to a normal human(ahem, Cleffis) made that change, she knew that now. Perhaps that was also partly why she had started showing compassion for Sonata and Adagio, even though to her, it was a little unlikely Adagio would feel anything towards her or anything else given what had just happened.

Aria couldn't help feeling a little warm, which she had hardly felt when she was still caught up with feeding off negativity. But as she glanced at Cleffis, the thought of him being a human returned to her. He had no clue that she was a siren, and a small part of her knew that she would have to tell him, eventually. But how?

Sonata was striding down the road, a bright smile on her face. She was dressed in her normal outfit, the dark shirt with a pink collar and a pink skirt and boots, and carried a small bag with her belongings in it. Silver and her two other friends had gone to the club first to arrange the audition, while Sonata had taken the liberty of stopping by a small drink stall for a glass of fruit punch. She had finished the glass a few minutes ago,and was now on her way to join her friends at the music club. As she walked, she quietly hummed the tune of her audition song, making absolutely sure that she had gotten the notes right.

This was a golden opportunity.

Well, this technically was her first opportunity, but it was still a golden one.

She had to ace this audition. It would mark a great start for her.

But as Sonata walked towards the dance club, humming the music notes, her eyes caught upon a familiar figure. Her humming died away.

It was Concerto. He was walking in her direction, his tired looking eyes lowered to the ground and his back looking somewhat hunched. One thing for sure, he didn't look too good.

Just then, as Sonata walked closer to him, his eyes shot up, and he spotted her. Sonata's heart beat faster as his eyes widened, his mouth opening as if he wanted to say something to her.

Swallowing her emotions, Sonata walked right past him as though she hadn't seen him.

Concerto froze as the blue haired girl blew right by him. _Sonata?_ He turned to see Sonata walking off, not even looking back at him. Disappearing quickly off into the distance. _What…Sonata…_ Why was she doing this? After watching Sonata for a couple more seconds, he couldn't stand it any longer. Without much further thought, Concerto took the few quick strides that separated them and snatched Sonata by the wrist.

"Wha-Concerto?" Sonata jerked her head around, startled by his actions. "What are you doing?"

"I just wanted to talk to you!" Concerto insisted. "But you seem to be avoiding me. Why?"

The look in Sonata's eyes was incomprehensible.

"I just…Let me go!" She said urgently, attempting to tug her wrist from Concerto's hand. "I need to get to the audition on time!" She froze when she realised what she had just blurted out.

Concerto stared at her blankly.

"You're going for an audition?!" He knew that what she said about her voice not improving didn't make sense. "But you said-"

He was startled suddenly when Sonata powerfully yanked his wrist away. "I don't need you anymore, okay?" She shrieked.

Concerto stiffened as those words echoed through his ears and throughout the now fairly empty street. "What?" Sonata took a step away from him, not daring to meet his eyes. "Just…go back to your own life." She muttered shakily. "Its not like you need me either…right?" Not waiting for an answer, Sonata turned and quickly walked off, trying to hide the tears that had stung her eyes, leaving Concerto dismayed and in shock. What she had just said couldn't be true. She…didn't need him? Tears came to Concerto's eyes as he watched Sonata walk further and further away until she was out of sight.

This…could not have happened. There had to be a proper reason for this...somehow.

Things were pretty much messed up for the six. Sonata, though free from her siren roots(kind of?)was nowhere close to getting over her unrequited(no longer unrequited)feelings for Concerto; Concerto was hurt and confused by the mixed information he had been getting concerning Sonata's departure; Cleffis was worrying about their publicity-crazy manager; Aria was worried about Sonata and Adagio, and Allegro, the one getting the blame for the Alletrine controversy, had blown up at their manager. So everything was going pretty badly for all of them.

But…what about Adagio?

The news regarding Allegro "cheating" on Citrine with Adagio had travelled far and wide within mere hours thanks to the media and Triple Rewind's influence. And it just so happened that someone in Canterlot High read the article just after her last class had finished.

Rainbow Dash was suddenly frightened by a loud, signature Pinkie Pie gasp from next to her. She turned to see her friend gawking at her phone with her eyes the size of beach balls and her mouth wide open. "What is it, Pinkie?" Rainbow asked, taking the phone from her. Upon seeing the news, her eyes widened in complete utter disbelief. "Ohmigosh…"

Having been alerted by the loud Pinkie Pie gasp, the rest of the Mane Seven, including Twilight, gathered round their friends as the other students walked past them and headed out.

"Good heavens!" Rarity gasped, staring at the photo. "Is that-?"

"Yeah. You can totally tell it's her!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "It's Adagio!"

"You mean one of the sirens that you told me about which tried to take over the school?" Twilight asked curiously. The others nodded quickly, their faces filled with a mixture of surprise, shock, fear and hostility.

"What is she doing with a famous pop star like Allegro?" Twilight asked. Pinkie shrugged. "We don't know for sure…"

A sudden thought came into Pinkie's head, and she gasped again. "You don't think she's planning to get her magic back in some way, is she?" "Well, that can't be." Applejack said thoughtfully, as Fluttershy nodded in agreement. "They can't sing with their gems broken, and Adagio clearly doesn't have her gem in that picture."

Murmurs of agreement came from the others. "Well, gem or no, they're up to something for sure," Rainbow Dash announced. "What are we waiting for? It's the end of school term, so we have plenty of time to go find them and kick some evil butt!" She started doing karate moves, acting out how she was going to "kick some evil butt". However, she didn't get very far in her demonstration before Sunset stopped her.

"Now just hang on a second, Rainbow Dash." Sunset said, her face serious. "We can't just go and confront them again. Besides, this is only Adagio in this picture. We don't know for sure if all three of them are still together." "Yeah, Sunset's right." Fluttershy added, her voice gentle and soft. "Maybe they split up…and maybe they have to cope with things on their own, without anyone's help…" She sighed sympathetically, imagining the three Dazzlings in need of help. "The poor girls…"

That made sense. The Mane Seven, having been caught up with the Magic of Friendship and their studies and hobbies, didn't pay much attention to entertainment news or gossip. So other than Adagio, they had no clue on the other two sirens.

"But what if they are?" Rainbow Dash insisted. "Then we need to figure out what they're up to." Sunset replied.

Actually-and, Sunset hadn't mentioned this to her friends yet-she had been intending to find the Dazzlings. They had completely vanished after the Battle of the Bands, and even though they were pretty much evil, Sunset couldn't help but sympathise with them. After all, she was once like them, but Princess Twilight had given her a second chance...so if she could offer a second chance to the sirens, then why couldn't she? And she knew for sure that human Twilight, who was eager to extend her learnings of friendship, would agree with her.

"But…how do we even start?" Applejack asked. "We don't exactly know where the three of them are." "Yes, but I think we might know where they could be." Sunset replied.

"At a cake store?!" Pinkie squealed, as Rainbow Dash sighed in exasperation and facepalmed.

"Uh…no. According to what I remember Princess Twilight explaining to us, sirens sing to survive. They're pretty much attached to anything involving singing. So…my first guess is that they'll be at a bar, a KTV lounge, or…"

"A music club?" Pinkie piped up. "There's one three streets from here. They're open for auditions now."

"How do you know?" Twilight said in astonishment, asking the third question in a row. Pinkie gave her friends a wide smile. "I've planned parties in that music club a lot of times. That place is the best!"

With nods from the others, Sunset stepped up. "Okay then," She said. "Let's get going!"

As the group of seven walked off, a figure wearing a hoodie came from behind the lockers into the deserted locker hall. Checking that the group was out of earshot, Adagio Dazzle glanced around the school, unimpressed by what she saw. "Huh." She remarked to herself. "Hasn't changed a bit." _It still looks pathetic, _she thought to herself. _Now…where should I look?_

Canterlot High, being the school which the Rainbooms attended, had to have some other instances of magic, one which Adagio could make use of to get her powers back. One source of magic was the portal in the statue at the front the school that led back into Equestria. That made a good source, but on the other hand, Adagio did not know for sure where in Equestria the portal led to. And if anypony spotted her, she couldn't picture what would be done to her. So, for now, the portal was out of the question.

Adagio proceeded to walk down the hallway, hiding her hair under her hoodie and shoving her hands in her pockets so as to look inconspicuous as other students walked by. As she walked, she noticed large billboards on the walls, displaying different photos. She spotted a couple from the Battle of the Bands, and frowned when she saw a picture with herself in it. "What?" She muttered, glaring at the picture. "That angle makes me look awful! Who in Equestria took this rubbish?"

Looking at the next picture-a photo of the Rainbooms after they had won the final round-didn't make things any better. Adagio scowled under her breath. _Stupid Rainbooms…huh?_

Adagio was suddenly caught off guard as her phone rang. The girl quickly pulled the device from her pocket and glanced at the screen. "Allegro Flare" it stated, causing Adagio's heart to speed up. _It's him…he must be worried about me…I should at least let him know I'm alright..._She almost pressed the answer button when her heart hardened once more. _Never mind, I'll just ignore him!_ With a slight tinge of guilt, Adagio placed her phone back into her pocket, feeling the phone continue vibrating for a couple more seconds before ceasing.

_Record your message after the tone,_ the voice said. Allegro narrowed his eyes as he took the phone away from his ear, worried and confused. Why wasn't Adagio answering? After thinking about it a little more, Allegro had no clue of what had happened to Adagio or where she was. _She probably heard the news and went to cool down or something,_ he thought. _Or maybe she just doesn't want to see me now because of it?_ Allegro decided to leave Adagio alone for the time being. But at the same time, something else nagged at him. Adagio had told him they were more different than he thought…what could she possibly have meant by that, besides in appearance and personality?

Adagio continued looking at all the different pictures, each from a different event in Canterlot High. It was then that she came upon a partcular photo showing a whole group of students, under the heading "The Opening of The Friendship Games". One group was definitely Canterlot High's students, wearing more casual clothes, whereas the other group had more formal uniforms. She caught sight of Twilight among them. "Huh?" She squinted at the photo in confusion. "That can't be, I remember for sure that Twilight attends Canterlot Hi-Oh, wait." Adagio realised something and groaned. "Great, they have her human counterpart now? Just typical."

She studied this other Twilight for a couple of seconds. Unlike the Twilight she remembered seeing at the Battle of the Bands, this Twilight had her hair in a bun, her cutie mark in the form of a hair pin, accompanied by a pair of black, thick rimmed, rectangular glasses over her eyes. Besides her uniform, Adagio's eyes were drawn to a funny locket looking object this Twilight was wearing around her neck in the photo. It looked like a locket, except it seemed a little larger, was a dark purple, and had a magic symbol on the centre. The circular meter on the object told Adagio that the object was perhaps a device of some sort.

_Hmmm…_Adagio thought to herself. There definitely had been a lot of things that happened in Canterlot High that she had missed out on. It didn't look that important, but the device around the other Twilight's neck piqued her interest. Some part of her could easily tell that this was some kind of device associated with magic.

A small smirk grew on her face.

It was about time that she did a little research…


	20. Chapter 20: Truth

**Chapter 20-Truth**

"There you are, Sonata!" Limelight looked over to see Sonata finally walk through the entrance. "What took you so long-?" She caught sight of the slightly reddish tinge around Sonata's eyes. "Hey…are you okay?" She asked in concern, as she and Silver went over to her through the crowd of youths. Sonata rubbed her eyes and gave them a big smile. "I'm fine." She reassured them. "So…am I able to do the audition?" "They said we can do the audition on the spot since they don't really have any performing slots taken up this morning."

"That's great!" Sonata chirped. Needless to say, she felt somewhat nervous and jittery. It had been a while since she had last sung in front of anyone, after all. Silver noticed this easily and patted her friend's shoulders comfortingly.

"Don't be scared, Sonata. Remember, sing with your feelings, and your voice will come out just fine." She reassured the blue haired girl, who could only gulp and nod.

Chandelier poked her head out from behind the small stage at the end of the club. "Sonata, you're on." She called. Sonata smiled nervously and stepped towards the stage. _Well, here goes nothing…_

"So…you say that this music club is run by a family?" Applejack asked. "Yep." Pinkie chirped, bouncing up and down brightly as the seven of them walked down the street together. "I get along well with that family, plus the son is a fellow party planner of mine."

"Really?" Rainbow said curiously. "What's his name?"

"Well, his name is-CHEESE!" Pinkie squealed happily, suddenly rushing past her friends. The others were stunned with surprise to see Pinkie joyfully hugging a teenage boy. The boy was her height, with equally poofy looking brown hair. His eyes were a leafy green, and his skin was a cheery yellow. He returned Pinkie's hug with equal enthusiasm.

"HEY, PINKIE!"

The two of them pulled out of their hug as the others gathered around them. "Guys, this is my friend, Cheese Sandwich." Pinkie introduced the brown haired boy to them. "His parents run the music club."

"Hi there!" Cheese greeted the Mane Seven. "Umm...hi." The six teenagers said, still a little stunned.

Honestly speaking, Cheese Sandwich seemed to be an exact clone of Pinkie Pie in terms of character. "What were you doing out here, Cheese?" Pinkie Pie asked her friend. "Oh, I was buying party supplies for my cousin's birthday party." Cheese replied cheerfully, holding up a large paper bag he had with him. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Oh! We're headed to the dance club right now!" Rainbow spoke up.

Cheese burst into a big grin. "That's great!" He said. "I'm on my way back too! My parents texted me saying that someone is auditioning to be a performer in the music club, and I don't wanna miss it!"

"An audition?" Twilight said, as they neared the dance club. "That sounds interesting."

Cheese's ears seemed to prick up a little as he heard the sound of singing coming out faintly from the music club.

"Oh, they've already started." He said, quickening his pace. "Come on!"

As the Mane Seven reached the glass doors to enter, they froze. They could hear the music rather audibly through the door, but what was more shocking was what they saw.

Even though the Mane Seven had suspected that at least one of the sirens would be here, actually seeing one still hit them in the heads like a brick.

It was Sonata Dusk herself, standing on that small stage at the end of the room, singing to a large, cheering crowd seated at tables below.

"Whoa, she's good!" Cheese remarked, slipping inside to talk to his parents. The Mane Seven, however, hung outside with their mouths hanging open. Twilight just looked at everyone, a little confused.

"What's wrong?"

"That's her." Fluttershy whispered a little fearfully, pointing slightly at Sonata through the glass door. "She's one of the sirens." Twilight's eyes widened with shock and confusion. "Really?" She peered at the girl for a short while. "But going by what you told me, she isn't supposed to be able to sing anymore, right?"

Applejack nodded. "Yeah. I don't understand…what do you think, Sunset?"

Sunset Shimmer herself was stunned speechless. As she had expected, Sonata's pendant was no longer intact, but for some reason, her voice, heard faintly through the door, sounded just fine. If Sunset remembered correctly, that was exactly how Sonata's voice sounded like with her gem pendant. And as if that wasn't confusing enough, there was no green mist, actually no mist of any kind, coming out from Sonata's audience. The audience was completely unharmed, and were cheering and clapping happily, in awe of her singing.

"I don't know, Applejack." Sunset Shimmer admitted. "When I was studying magical folklore back in Equestria, the Legend Princess Twilight told us the last time was as far as anyone could get concerning sirens. There were no other records or books of any kind on these creatures, since they are thought to be extinct. Well…except for these three, of course."

"But whatever she's here for,we have to confront her!" Rainbow said, preparing to kick the door down and barge in. However, Rarity quickly held up her hand in front of her friend. "Now, just hang on, Rainbow Dash." She said, looking at Sonata singing. "We can't go rushing head on into situations like this. Besides, I don't think she's actually feeding off any negative energy in there. And look at her!"

On a closer look, something about Sonata seemed different. The song she sang did not send chills up anyone's spine, neither did it give off the vibe which the Dazzlings usually gave off. The song was a calm, somewhat heartfelt melody that resonated deep into the hearts of anyone who heard it. Sonata herself stood at the stage, clutching the mic with both hands. Her eyes flickered across the audience as she sang, and the emotions in her voice was almost heartbreaking. Still looking and hearing her performance from just outside the music club, the Mane Seven found their eyes clouding with small tears.

But it was just a pity none of them could actually understand what Sonata was singing about because the song was in Korean.

As the music ended, applause erupted throughout the club. Sonata smiled and bowed as two adults, presumably Cheese's parents and the owners of the music club, popped out from behind the curtains, whistling and cheering. They shook hands with Sonata. "That was amazing!" The man praised her. "You're hired, alright!" Sonata blushed shyly. "Thank you so much, this means a lot to me."

"We could tell, honey." The woman said kindly. "That dedication you made before singing moved everyone to tears. That's what told us you were serious about this gig."

Silver, Limelight and Chandelier rushed up to Sonata as the two adults walked away, gathering round their friend and congratulating her endlessly. Below them, the other guests resumed their own activities."Congrats, Sonata!" Limelight said, hugging the girl tightly. "I knew you could do it!" Chandelier added, as Silver patted Sonata's shoulder and smiled ecstatically. "I got everything on your phone, were awesome." Sonata tried her best to put up a happy smile as the group walked off the stage."Thanks, guys, but really, I couldn't have done it without you…"

"Chandelier? What are you doing here with…?"

Chandelier cringed as the group turned in the direction of the voice. The voice belonged to a orange skinned girl with wavy golden yellow and dark orange hair. Behind her were six other girls. Sonata's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Wait a second, they're-" Fear entered Sonata's mind. _It's the Rainbooms!_ Sonata let out a petrified squeak and quickly darted behind Silver, who stared at her in confusion.

"Oh, guys!" Chandelier stammered, taking a step towards them. "When did you get here?"

"You know her?" Rainbow asked in disbelief, jabbing an index at Sonata, who was still hiding behind Silver.

Chandelier turned red, her whole body completely stiff. She hadn't expected to see the girls from the Canterlot High Wondercolts team here. But then again, they represented the elements of Harmony in some way. Chandelier looked behind at Sonata fearfully. Perhaps they were the same group that defeated the sirens!

"Guys, just calm down and let us explain-"

There was a gasp of shock from Rarity. "Goodness me, Chandelier has a pendant!" She exclaimed, spotting the blue gem around the girl's neck since she wasn't in her Crystal Prep uniform. This brought more gasps of disbelief from her friends. Sunset peered at the four teenagers, visibly confused. "What is going on here?"

Rainbow Dash, who had tolerated the suspense long enough(even though it had been only a few seconds), headed forward. "Now you listen up, siren!" She snapped, grabbing Sonata's wrist and tugging her out from behind Silver. "You'd better explain yourself! Are you brainwashing Chandelier and these two girls here to help you regain your magic or what?!" Silver's mouth fell open, Limelight looked around in confusion, while Chandelier's face was as pale as a ghost. The Starlets had completely no idea what was going on.

Everyone watched Rainbow Dash glare at Sonata, silently threatening her to spit out whatever evil plan she was concocting or dark secret she was harbouring.

Sunset's heart softened when she saw the obvious distress and fear in the siren's expression. Sonata's lips were moving, as though she was trying to say something but couldn't think. Small pearl sized tears welled up slightly in Sonata's eyes.

"That's enough, Rainbow." A voice said. Sunset blinked as Twilight stepped forward to intercept, her words of defense just spoken a few seconds ahead before Sunset could say it. Rainbow was confused as Twilight lightly pried her hand away from Sonata's wrist and placed her hands on the blue haired girl's shoulders. "Twilight? What are you doing?"

"Listen…I don't know how badly Canterlot High was affected by what the Dazzlings did. I even know how evil she used to be." Twilight told her friends, as she patted the shoulders of a sniffling and trembling Sonata. "But you can clearly see that she's scared. Just calm down, and we'll let her explain it bit by bit. You don't need to be so assertive."

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to protest, but noticed her friends' reactions. Sunset was nodding at Twilight with approval, Pinkie Pie had bounced her way over to Sonata and was currently comforting her, while Fluttershy and Applejack held back but gazed at Sonata with sympathy. Rarity folded her arms, giving Rainbow a "Twilight's right, we shouldn't force Sonata to answer us" face. Seeing Sonata tearing slightly and shaking violently with fear between Twilight and Pinkie made Rainbow's expression soften, and she gave in. "…Fine."

Twilight comforted Sonata, leading her to a nearby table and sitting her down. "Are you alright now, um…Miss?" Sonata looked up at Twilight and managed a small smile. "I'm alright, Twilight, thanks. And...my name's Sonata. I…thought you already knew that."

The purple haired girl blinked. "Huh? Oh…I'm not the same Twilight that was at Canterlot High during the Battle of the Bands. I'm her human counterpart."

"Okayy…"

Silver, Limelight and Chandelier sat beside Sonata as she explained everything to the Mane Seven. Sonata did her best not to miss out any important details, with Silver chipping in a couple of explanations at certain points of time.

"So…Adagio and Aria are still with…?" Applejack asked.

"Yep." Sonata said. "It's fine, though. I don't know about Adagio, but Aria has my back."

Sunset scratched her head. "And you got your voice back because of your true emotions?"

Sonata nodded. "Yes." "I'm pretty sure it's accurate." Silver added. "I drew that conclusion after years of research, studies and experiments. You can never go wrong with that much evidence."

Silver's words earned a look of admiration from Twilight. "I couldn't have said any better myself." She said.

"And…" Rainbow looked at Chandelier. "So you, Limelight and Silver can really feed off positive energy instead of negative energy?"

"Umm…yeah…"

"That. Is. AWESOME!" Rainbow exclaimed with a big smile. The Starlets turned bright pink at Rainbow's comment.

"So…you're not doing anything related to feeding off negativity or taking over the world?" Sunset asked. "You're just making a living for yourself?" Sonata nodded slowly. "Yeah." "Wow, that's…good, I guess." Sunset still had trouble believing it, but either way, she felt a tinge of admiration for Sonata. When Sunset had reformed herself, she had the help of her friends the whole way. But Sonata didn't seem to have had much help from anyone, and yet, here she was.

"You know…you did a good job standing up to Adagio." Sunset told Sonata with a warm smile. "Thanks, Sunset." Sonata replied softly.

"And I like the song you were singing." Fluttershy added, slowly walking to Sonata's side. "Where'd you learn it?"

"Oh…I actually liked that song for months after I left Canterlot High. After a while, I found the song lyrics and memorized the romanji."

A few seconds of silence later, Sonata nervously asked,"You guys….aren't going to hurt me, are you?" Sunset laughed softly and shook her head. "No, we're not." She turned round to look at her friends. "Right?" Her friends nodded vigorously.

"Of course!" Rarity agreed.

"That's right, sugarcube!" Applejack chipped in.

"To be honest, I didn't come here expecting this." Rainbow admitted. "But I'll give ya a chance, Sonata."

Sonata smiled. She didn't know the Mane Six-er, Seven very well, but as far as she knew, they wielded the Magic of Friendship, which was why they had managed to defeat her, Adagio and Aria the last time. But it also gave her a sense of security with them and reassured her that they could be trusted.

Sunset patted Sonata gently on the shoulder. "You know, if you're really willing to start anew like this, you have our backs too." She said. The rest of the Mane Seven clambered around Sonata, agreeing with Sunset. Silver, Limelight and Chandelier joined the group, with smiles on their faces.

"Oh, and uh…Chandelier?" Rarity asked. The white haired girl looked at her. "Yes?"

"Sugarcoat doesn't know about your positive energy, siren thing, does she?"

At the mention of her cousin, Chandelier turned red. "Nope."

As Rarity and Chandelier continued to talk, Pinkie Pie bounced around Sonata with a friendly grin on her face. "You can count on us to help you for sure!" She chirped. "Besides, I can totally relate to that thing with Concerto on a personal level." Sonata stared at her. "You have a crush on someone too?"

Pinkie blushed slightly upon realising what she had just let out. "Uhuh…yeah…"

This sudden confession of sorts from Pinkie Pie got her friends staring. Applejack took a look at the poofy pink haired girl. "Let me guess…" She said, pointing slightly to Cheese Sandwich, who was standing a good distance away talking to his parents.

Pinkie nodded, embarrassed. Rarity's mouth fell open.

"Oh my."

"Hey…are you okay, Allegro?" Allegro paused as Concerto poked his head out from his room to see his leader walking by. Allegro turned to him and smiled sadly.

"Yeah…I'm okay. How about you?"

Allegro could see Concerto attempting a genuinely happy smile, but the sadness behind his eyes told him otherwise. "You don't need to worry about me, Allegro. It's not like I'll die or anything without Sonata."

Allegro could read his groupmate like an open book. He saw a look of fondness and longing pass through Concerto's eyes as the boy thought of Sonata. That, in open book mode, implied to Allegro a message he hadn't expected to see written on Concerto's face.

Before he could think twice, Allegro blurted out a question.

"So did you see Cherry after the concert?"

To Allegro's surprise, unlike usually, Concerto wasn't getting a heart palpitation after hearing Cherry's name. "She actually kissed me."

"Huh. Lucky you, then…"

"Well, not exactly. She talked to me just now, saying she'd broken up with Storm Caster and that she wanted me back. But I realised she wasn't the right person for me, so I said no. She's too selfish."

Allegro took a while to process this information.

"You don't love Cherry anymore. Then…" The open book message came back into his mind again. "You love Sonata."

Concerto confirmed that answer with a defeated and depressed sigh. "You think?" He let out a groan of exasperation as he leaned against his hotel door. "I can't believe how hopeless I am at love! It took me a few years to realise that one girl wasn't the right one for me, and then the other girls leaves and says she doesn't need me anymore. I'm useless."

Allegro watched Concerto with a slight tinge of sympathy.

"Well…I hope you can find some way to tell her, Concerto." _And…I hope you'll have better luck than I did._

Cleffis was in his hotel room with Aria, watching television and attempting to clear their heads of problems when his phone rang. Cleffis looked at the phone screen, and he cringed with fear when he saw the name. "Uh…Aria, do you mind turning down the volume a little bit?" He asked. "I have to get this." Aria nodded, and reached for the remote. Meanwhile, Cleffis got up and walked to the balcony as he answered the call.

"Hello? Mr Biz?"

"Yes, it's me, Cleffis." That was already Mr Biz at the other end of the phone. Cleffis wondered whether to be relieved or frightened at the calmness in his manager's voice. "Listen, I need you to tell Allegro that I have scheduled a press conference tomorrow afternoon. It's to clear up the controversy he started up."

Cleffis's heart sped up. Great. Just great. "I see. So…you need us to be present for the conference?"

"Yes. Make sure to tell Allegro and Concerto to wait at my office tomorrow at noon, alright?"

"Uh…sure. Okay."

"Good. Bye." "Uh…Bye…" The dial tone was still ringing in Cleffis's ears as he placed his phone back in his pocket. A press conference?

Almost immediately, Cleffis had the feeling that things were headed further and further downhill.

Aria stared at the message she had just received from Sonata.

**I aced it, Aria :). Here's the video in case you were curious about how it went.**

She had no idea for sure how Sonata had gotten her voice back. She was happy for her, given all the hurtful events that had occured to her while she was still around Concerto, but Aria couldn't help but envy Sonata a little. When she had asked Sonata, all Sonata had said was that it was a very complicated thing to understand, something to do with emotions. And no matter how many times Aria read the explanation, her mind remained confused. _Ah well,_ she thought to herself. _I'll have to wait._

Of course, thinking of Sonata got her thinking about Concerto. Concerto was definitely badly affected after Sonata had left. Aria was actually rather surprised that she hadn't seen him with Cherry today. _Well, maybe if I just let him know that Sonata is fine and doing well, he could…cheer up a little bit. He really had wanted her to succeed._

"Hey, Cleffis. Which room does Concerto stay in?"

"Oh, he's just two doors to our right. Why?"

"There's something I need to tell him." Aria muttered, getting up and taking her phone with her. "Involving Sonata."


	21. Chapter 21: A Song For Sonata

**Chapter 21-A Song For Sonata **

**Splashfire99:** (Only With My Heart by Lena Park does not belong to me. It's a nice song though, you should hear it :3)

Concerto lay his head on his table, feeling bored and feeling empty.

There was a knock at the door.

_Sigh...I'm really not in the mood now…_Concerto slowly raised his head.

"Who is it?" He called out moodily.

"It's me." Aria's voice was at the other side of the door. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Concerto?"

Despite his reluctance, Concerto really had nothing better to do today. Wearily, he got up, walked to the door, and pulled it open.

"Come in." He muttered, stepping aside for her to enter.

A small part of him wondered why Aria wanted to see him, though.

Aria couldn't help glancing at Concerto with pity. His brown hair was unusually scruffy, as though he had been trying to sleep but couldn't. His eyes were red and puffy, as though he had been crying for a very long time.

"Uh…I need to tell you something about Sonata."

Aria sensed a jolt go through Concerto's body at the mention of Sonata's name.

"Oh…What is it?" He asked, flopping-yes, flopping-down into his chair.

"It's about where she went."

Concerto let out a long, depressed and exasperated sigh.

"Please, Aria, I already know. I saw her in the street this morning."

"You did?" Concerto didn't look at Aria, but he could hear the disbelief in her voice.

"Yes, I did. She was going for an audition. She doesn't need me anymore, Aria. Not even as a friend. So I'm sure you don't need to tell me anything."

Aria stared, speechless.

"What do you mean that Sonata doesn't need you anymore? She needs you more than you know!" She told him softly.

Concerto groaned and turned away.

"Ugh, don't give me that. She told me herself that she doesn't need me!"

An awkward period of silence ensued between the two, both of them avoiding each other's gaze.

Neither moved an inch.

After a few minutes, Aria slowly took her phone from her pocket and took a few steps closer to the violet eyed boy, still slumped in the chair as though he had no backbone.

"There's something I need to show you." She said quietly.

Concerto very reluctantly lifted his head to look at Aria's phone screen. It was playing a video. It showed a small stage, with many people sitting at tables below it, the chatter fairly noisy. His heart sank when he saw the figure walking onstage and realised what Aria was trying to show him.

"Look, I don't want to see Sonata's audition video! If you're trying to help me, Aria, then you're making me feel worse!" He snapped.

"Just keep watching it!" Aria snapped back, a little taken aback and infuriated by his remark.

"But I…" Concerto's voice trailed off.

Sonata was stepping over to the mic, glancing at the audience with a nervous look on her face. For a moment, Concerto's hurt dissipated, his heart speeding up when he saw how breathtaking she looked. She was wearing a pink shirt with dark pink stripes with a dark pink tie. Her cutie mark was on her dark pink denim skirt. Concerto stared as Sonata tapped the mic gently, compelling the audience to quiet down.

"Umm…Hi…" Sonata mumbled, scanning her eyes across the crowd below her shyly. "Before I start my performance, I'd…like to make a small dedication."

_Dedication?_ Concerto thought.

"This song…goes out to everyone with an unrequited love. I know how it feels to fall in love with someone, even if he doesn't return your feelings. And…"

A small tear could easily be seen shimmering in Sonata's eye as she spoke.

"…The person I like, this is to you…" She took a deep breath and sighed. "You probably will never hear this.. but...I hope you'll understand my actions one day. It was hurting too much…so I'll try to forget you, and...I'll let you be happy with her."

In the video, there were some slightly audible sniffles coming from the crowd.

Concerto was utterly confused and stunned. _Sonata…has a crush on someone?_ Until now, Concerto hadn't known that at all.

Sonata gently took the mic with both hands, smiling, and started to sing as the music came on.

_Smile brightly, don't worry about me_

_I'm smiling like this right now_

_I won't forget, I'll be the only one who remembers us _

_I won't forget you so that you can smile_

This song…Concerto's eyes widened. "She chose such a heartbreaking song to sing?"

Aria looked at him in confusion. "You mean…judging by the tune?"

"No, the lyrics."

_Smile brightly, I'm just thankful_

_Because I can have memories with you_

_I can hide them and take them out when I'm alone_

_It will strengthen me when I miss you _

_Only with my heart I steal you_

_Only with my heart I hug you _

_That's enough for me so don't hurt because of me_

_Just locking eyes with you makes me shed tears_

"But…" Aria was a little confused. "The lyrics are in Korean…do you know the song?"

"Nope." Concerto shook his head.

_When time passes and our love grows_

_There will be times I resent you so it's a relief_

_Because I will remember you being affectionate_

_and the days when you hugged me_

_So it's good_

"So…?"

Oh, right, Aria doesn't know. Concerto sighed. "My father is a prestigious lecturer and teacher, so I'm homeschooled. I took up Korean as my second language."

Although she was a little stunned by this new information, Aria managed to nod. "I see."

"Sonata has a beautiful voice, but…"Jealousy and hurt seared through Concerto's chest.

"Who is Sonata singing about…?" He muttered, turning to Aria. He paused when he saw the expression on the violet haired girl's face.

_Only with my heart I steal you_

_Only with my heart I hug you _

_That's enough for me so don't hurt because of me_

_Just locking eyes with you makes me shed tears_

Aria was looking at Concerto skeptically, raising one eyebrow at him. "Seriously?" Her face seemed to say to him.

"Why are you looking at me like tha-" Concerto suddenly stopped before he could finish. Some wires connected in his brain.

_If we meet each other like fate, please pass me by like you don't know me_

_Even though my heart will cry like it has been torn into two_

_So I can see you for a short moment while you pass by_

_I hope you'll understand my actions one day...It was hurting too much…_ Sonata's dedication echoed in his head. _I'll try to forget you…and…I'll let you be happy with her…_

"Wait…" Concerto said to Aria. "Sonata…likes…" He pointed to himself with his right index. "Me?"

Aria nodded, her expression unreadable.

_Only with my heart, I will want you_

_Only with my heart, I will kiss you_

_Don't be sorry, this is my life_

_Whether you love me or feel sorry, I feel the same way_

Concerto's heart dropped, and he almost fell off the chair. "What?" He exclaimed, as Aria stopped the video and kept her phone. "She…she..." He tried to formulate a sentence, but no words came to mind to describe how shocked he was at this revelation.

And how he hadn't realised this sooner.

But that also meant…

Concerto buried his head in his hands. _Oh, you IDIOT!_ He scolded himself. _You could've stopped her from leaving if you'd realised this earlier!_

Immediately, every single small detail from the earlier days flooded into his head. He recalled Sonata's tears, the dismay she often hid behind her eyes, and her devastated expression when she told him she was leaving. The clues to the truth had been right in front of him all this time, and yet he, blinded by his supposed longing for Cherry Blossom, had chosen to ignore them.

No wonder her explanations were inconsistent: HE was the reason she had left.

His vision was blurred as tears trickled down his face. "How could I have not noticed it?" He asked Aria. "She liked me this whole time, and all I did was hurt her. I even asked her to help me win Cherry back!" He groaned, upset over his own stupidity. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Aria watched him sympathetically.

"It wasn't your fault, Concerto." She said quietly."But I guess since you know the real reason behind Sonata's departure, you can be at peace now… After all, she is trying to forget you. Its for her own good, and yours too."

Almost instantly, the quick tempered Concerto flared up.

"How is that for my own good?!" He protested, his violet eyes ablaze with fury. "Ever since she left, I''ve felt as though half of my life has been drained out of me! And it's barely been a day!"

"I know that, but…I'm sure Cherry could help you…"

For some reason, the mention of Cherry's name just made Concerto flare up even further.

"Cherry?! That girl only cares about herself!"

Aria was completely flabbergasted by Concerto's agitated reply.

"I thought both of you kissed at the Music Festival." She said blankly.

_What? How did she know?_ Concerto shook his head. "We did…but I don't like her anymore, okay? When we kissed, I couldn't sense any love between us. I just went along with it because I thought that was what I'd wanted the whole time! But…"

The boy faltered.

"I was wrong." He muttered sadly. "What I really wanted…and needed…was right beside me the whole time. But I never knew."

Seeing the looks of shock and incomprehension on Aria's face, Concerto sighed and was compelled to go on.

"I don't know if Sonata knows about this, but when she came into my life, she brightened it up as well. All that energy and joy she projected made me look at life in a better way, and I was more than happy to have her around. Before long, I found myself feeling strange with her. I realised too late that that strange feeling…was love."

_Okay…wasn't really expecting that,_ Aria thought. However, seeing how upset Concerto was, she decided that now, perhaps helping Sonata forget wasn't the best thing to do. Clearly, Sonata was still hurting, and so was Concerto. If there was one thing they both needed right now to heal them and change them back to their former, happy selves, it would be each other.

"Hey. Concerto." Aria said, as the boy sniffled slightly and wiped his tears from his eyes. "I know you're upset now, but look on the bright side. At least you know your feelings for Sonata are mutual, right? You can tell her."

There was a defeated, heavy sigh.

"It's not that easy, Aria. Sonata doesn't want to see me anymore. Believe me, I wanted to tell her this morning, but she refused to hear anything from me."

"Well…there's no wrong it giving it another go?"

Concerto processed this for a moment. I don't know… Incidentally, his eye fell upon a small notebook on the table.

That was his songwriting book.

_Or maybe..._ An idea popped into his head.

"The best way for a musician to express himself…is through music." Concerto said aloud, stretching his hand across the table and taking his notebook.

This earned a blank look from Aria. "What?"

"When Sonata found out about my songwriting hobby, she encouraged me to write a song for Triple Rewind. But I had no idea what to write about." Concerto quickly flipped his notebook open. "So I'll write a song for her."

Having been in the dark of Concerto's songwriting talent until now, Aria wondered if Concerto was going to succeed with this attempt. But despite her doubts, seeing his face filled with confidence and energy made her decide to help.

"I'll help you if I can." She told him. "So how does it start?"

Concerto smiled a genuine smile. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to expand Triple Rewind's range of music. Sonata dedicated a Korean song to me. I think it would be good to dedicate another Korean song back to her."

"You're going to write the song…in Korean?"

"It's okay, Aria, I've done it before."

"Okay. If you know what you're doing."

Aria leaned over Concerto's shoulder, watching intently as he took up a pen and poured his emotions out onto the empty notebook page in front of him.

"So…how long have you had a crush on Cheese?" Sonata asked curiously, sipping at a smoothie.

"Oh! Uh…for a week now, I guess?" Pinkie said, noisily drinking her smoothie.

The Mane Seven, and Sonata and the Starlets, were at a cafe together. Sonata was overjoyed. She had finally gotten a job of sorts, and in addition the Rainbooms were willing to accept her as a friend. How could things get any better?

"I don't actually know for sure if he likes me back, but I'm just a little afraid to tell him because he's a very popular party planner. I don't think I'll stand a chance with him." Pinkie explained in her usual chirpy, rapid speaking manner.

"Yep, I hear you." Sonata replied.

"But I just can't believe that you didn't tell us about your crush, Pinkie!" Rarity commented.

Pinkie Pie grinned at her sheepishly, her face turning pinker than her skin. "Eheh…you…didn't ask?"

"I never knew about a fourth member of the sirens." Sunset Shimmer said to Silver Ballad.

"Yeah, many ponies don't know that." Silver replied with a smile. "I left the sirens before they tried taking over Equestria, so I guess when they took that down, I wasn't mentioned."

"And…how'd you give Chandelier and Limelight siren powers?" Applejack asked curiously.

"I transferred some of my siren magic into their two blue gem pendants with the help of science."

Applejack didn't fully understand what help of science Silver was referring to, but she knew that if she asked, there was bound to be a long, complicated explanation filled with peculiar scientific terms. So she decided this short explanation sufficed.

"I see." She said.

"So, what do you like doing, Limelight?" Fluttershy asked softly.

Limelight fumbled in her bag. "Oh, uh, besides singing, I like writing songs." She said, holding up a book. "Triple Rewind used one of my songs before. That song was a hit."

Fluttershy looked at her in astonishment.

"Is it 'Amp It Up'? I don't know Triple Rewind so well, but I love that song!"

Limelight blushed slightly and nodded. "Yeah, I wrote that. They credited me in the CDs and Music videos."

Sonata was staring at her in surprise. "You really remind me of someone…" She said, thinking of Concerto for a few seconds.

As everyone was talking, Twilight stood up. "Hang on for minute guys, I need to do something." She said.

With some nods of acknowledgment here and there, the purple haired girl stood up and walked out of the cafe.

Twilight, carrying her slingbag walked out into the alley just behind the cafe, where the cluster of trash cans to throw away rubbish were situated. Looking around carefully, Twilight reached into her bag and took out a few sheets of blueprints, and quickly threw those blueprints into the trash. The blueprints were promptly followed by numerous broken pieces of plastic, metal and glass.

_Sunset's right,_ Twilight thought to herself, closing the lid over the can. _I can't keep these things any longer. The device was too dangerous for me to try and rebuild._

Just seconds after Twilight had left the alleyway, a shadow fell across the ground.

A hand opened the lid of the trash can, quietly surveying the blueprints and broken pieces which the bespectacled teenager had thrown away just earlier.

"Perfect."

**That Night**

Concerto had just finished the last line of the song at ten forty five. Aria and the other two members of Triple Rewind stood behind him, having pitched in some ideas and suggestions during the course of writing.

"Okay. That should be good enough." Concerto said.

"You sure about this, Concerto?" Aria asked sleepily, having almost dozed off on Cleffis's shoulder minutes earlier.

"Well, I'm sure it's enough." Allegro said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Sonata is bound to like it."

"I hope so." Concerto replied nervously, closing the book.

"Well, we should go off to bed now." Allegro said. "It's late, and don't forget that we have that press conference tomorrow to deal with. Good night, guys."

As Allegro headed out, Cleffis turned to Concerto.

"I guess I'll get going too. Good night, Concerto."

Concerto nodded.

"Okay."

Cleffis gave Aria a shy grin, giving her a small kiss on the cheek before leaving, causing Aria to blush slightly as she talked to Concerto.

"See ya, Concerto. Good luck."

With that, Aria left the room.

Concerto waited, hearing the footsteps outside his hotel door fade, before turning to open the notebook again.

Reading the lyrics several times again to make sure they sounded good, Concerto got up from the chair and took out his laptop. Turning on the device and setting it on the table, he plugged in a small microphone to the laptop before opening the Garageband App. Plugging in a small keyboard and a pair of headphones as well, he got to work recording the song demo.

Concerto looked at the lyrics thoughtfully, before experimenting with several notes and chords to figure which key would the song sound best in, and whether a major or minor key would work better. He also had to vocalise and sing a couple of the lyrics to ensure that the tune of the main vocals would meld perfectly with the music.

This was Concerto's first time actually writing a song for his group, and he needed it to be a good first effort.

Also, the song was meant for Sonata: he would put every last ounce of energy and effort into finishing the song as soon as possible for her before she could drift any further from him.

His heart jumped as her sweet voice resonated back through his ears, filled with emotion. Though the melody was heartbreaking, it also kept him going, encouraging him. Now that he knew Sonata had liked him this whole time, he wanted to make it up to her. He had to heal all the hurt he had unknowingly inflicted on her. And, as an extra effort to keep himself awake, he kept a few mugs of drinks by his side as he worked.

Of course, it took a while, but eventually Concerto completed the song demo.

_Sonata…_Concerto thought._ I hope this song will reach you…_

As he drifted off to sleep, the song's melody continued to echo in his ears.


	22. Chapter 22: The Magic Of Music

**Chapter 22: The Magic Of Music**

"What?! I can't make heads or tails of this ridiculous blueprints!" Came a scowl. "How does this even work?!"

There was a pause.

"Oh wait. The blueprint is upside down…"

There was an exasperated groan and disbelief at her own stupidity.

"Now, how should I make these work…?"

Her eyes fell on a small cardboard box seated in the far corner of the room.

"Wait…"

The girl got up.

"I have an idea…"

The Next Day

Being engulfed by flashing cameras and swamped by reporters were usually very normal things for the three members of Triple Rewind. But this time, they were unable to bear the crowds without feeling uncomfortable.

"Wow, Concerto, you look tired." Cleffis said to his groupmate, who was stifling a yawn and had a little bit of dark circles under his eyes.

"Nah, I should be fine. I just couldn't fall asleep yesterday since I had a lot on my mind." Concerto lied.

Though he truly was a little tired from working on his handwritten song the day before, thinking of Sonata gave him some amount of energy. Now, if that energy was just enough to last him through this press conference…

Out of all three members, Allegro was definitely the most nervous. He could sense the stares of all the paparazzi and some of the fans who were crowding around the tiny platform he was headed towards, as though a thousand-no, a million suns were beating down on him simultaneously. Having his two groupmates and best friends Cleffis and Concerto beside him didn't suffice to soothe his worries. Each flash of a camera gave him another stab of worry, and the more the surrounding chatter filled his ears, the more the weight he felt on his shoulders. Revealing his true feelings to Mr Biz on this matter had been easy, but with all the stories and lies circulated in the cruel world of celebrities and fame, it was not going to be so simple.

Mr Biz was walking in front of them, his head held high. This sight worried the three boys: were they going to get laid off? For sure, Mr Biz had a reputation to keep, and his pride.

The group arrived at the front platform. Allegro's eyes diverted to the ground, unable to look at the cameras. And, as if the attention wasn't bad enough, he heard the distinct click of a pair of heels coming to step beside him.

_Just great._

Allegro refused to look at her, but he knew that Citrine wasn't happy with him right now.

Mr Biz came forward to the microphone, triggering the crowd of reporters to explode with questions.

"Mr Show Business, what are your thoughts on this controversy?"

"Were you aware of Allegro's behaviour?"

Though Cleffis and Concerto's hands were on Allegro's shoulders, silently comforting him, hearing all the hurtful questions directed to his manager made Allegro more fearful to look up. He knew what was coming.

Mr Biz put up his hands.

"Wait. Let me explain it thoroughly." He said.

_I knew it,_ Allegro thought to himself darkly._ Mr Biz probably made up some big elaborate tale on how I ended up cheating on Citrine. Then Triple Rewind's reputation will be ruined, but his reputation will be just fine, and so will Citrine's…_

"Allegro and Citrine…were never in a relationship to begin with."

Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto's heads all shot up simultaneously. _What?!_

Immediately, another eruption of questions from the reporters came. There was a very audible collective scream from the fans. Many of them, who were clutching heart shaped signs with the word "Alletrine" written in big silver letters on them had their mouths hanging open, a mixture of shock, disbelief and anger on their faces. A whole swamp of their protests filled Allegro's ears.

"What?!"

"That can't be!"

"They seemed so in love!"

"I shipped Alletrine for life!"

"Yes, it's true." Mr Biz said, his voice resonating loud and clear from the mic. "They're not in a relationship."

Ignoring the many confused looks from the paparazzi, fans and Triple Rewind, plus the look of disbelief on Citrine's face, Mr Biz continued speaking.

"Their relationship was…a publicity stunt to improve Triple Rewind's popularity. I arranged for it myself, and told Allegro to make it look as realistic as possible. And…the girl with him in the photo was the girl he really had feelings for."

Allegro, who finally had the courage to look up, was gawking at his manager in shock, wondering if he was dreaming or hallucinating. Was his manager telling the truth?!

"I was only concerning myself with Triple Rewind's reputation," Mr Biz continued, his voice serious but quiet and with a small hint of guilt. "I never brought Allegro's personal feelings and decisions into priority. He isn't to blame for this controversy. It's my fault."

To Allegro's surprise, his manager turned slightly towards him.

"Allegro, I apologize." Mr Biz said gently. "I thought I was doing what was best for you and your group. But it turns out I was doing the exact opposite. I realise that now."

Then, after a few seconds, he added. "Can you…accept my apology?"

It took a few moments for the wide eyed reddish brown haired boy to register Mr Biz's words. He was apologising and asking for forgiveness! Beside him, Cleffis and Concerto were wide eyed themselves, looking as though they were trying to say something but couldn't think of what to say.

Not wanting to make any more of a scene, Allegro slowly nodded. "…Of course Mr Biz. I forgive you."

Mr Biz smiled a warm smile. "Thank you."

The paparazzi and fans had gone completely and utterly silent, all perfectly speechless as they witnessed this rare sight of sentimentality between Triple Rewind's leader and their manager.

Mr Biz turned back to the mic. "Well, there you have it. That's the truth. This press conference is over."

The paparazzi and the fans all started chattering noisily amongst themselves. Many of the teenage girls were shaking their heads, adamantly refusing to believe what they had just heard.

Mr Biz stepped away from the mic slightly. "I'll leave you to make your own decisions with your life from now on." He said.

"You…" Allegro was still rather stunned. "You really mean it?"

Mr Biz nodded, the warmth not leaving his smile. "Yes. When you told me of how you really felt, it woke me up. I guess I wasn't as good a manager as thought I was to you boys."

Allegro couldn't help but give his manager a touched smile, while Concerto and Cleffis stepped up alongside their leader.

"Well," Cleffis said brightly. "This made up for it, right Allegro?"

Allegro nodded vigorously.

Mr Biz chuckled slightly at the three boys, when he suddenly found himself being yanked around the other way. The man found Citrine Gem glaring at him, straightening herself as much as possible to stare Mr Biz directly in the eye.

"Are you kidding me?!" The girl shrieked hysterically. "You asked me to come to this press conference just for you to reveal that it was a stunt?!"

Mr Biz, practically not intimidated by the teenage model who was a head shorter than him, remained calm.

"I'm afraid so, Ms Gem." He said sternly. "People need to know the truth."

"How the heck does the truth benefit me?!" Citrine snapped, raking Mr Biz, Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto with a glare. "You're just going to let MY Allegro go off with that poofy haired, good-for-nothing loser?! I'm so much better than her!"

"You know, I reaally think it's the other way round, Citrine." Allegro said skeptically.

Hearing the remark from her fake boyfriend made the girl's eyes bulge. "What?!"

"You heard me." Allegro said firmly. "I would have given you a chance, but you're too selfish and proud. And I won't deny the fact that I'm in love with Adagio."

Citrine scowled. "Ugh…just you wait, Allegro. You think revealing the truth is good enough? I'll have all my fans and the Alletrine shippers to back me up. You'll be mine no matter what!"

There was a period of silence.

Then, Allegro coughed.

"Citrine…you do realise you were standing next to the mic this whole time, right? And, uh, I think it's still on."

Freezing, Citrine slowly turned. The paparazzi were snapping away with their cameras, reporters talking all at once. The fans stared at Citrine, speechless.

Quickly, Citrine lamely attempted to cover up. "Heh, heh…" She looked a little sheepish. "It's not what it looks like…"

Citrine hadn't finished speaking before the crowd of girls began booing at her.

The girl's face reddened. She scrambled off the platform and out of the room, strangely quick for someone in high heels. She was followed behind by the huge group of agitated and angry fans, some of them pelting her with their "Alletrine" signs as she ran.

The members of Triple Rewind, plus their manager, watched Citrine flee in disgrace with small amused smiles on their faces.

Aria twiddled her thumbs nervously as she sat on her chair. _I hope the three of them will be okay…_

There was a knock at the door, making Aria's heart skip a beat. Maybe Cleffis was back.

Jumping up, Aria headed to the door and pulled it open without hesitation.

"Back so fa-" She froze. "Oh, hey, Adagio."

Adagio gave her a skeptical look. "You thought it was your boyfriend knocking?" She asked sarcastically.

"Uh…"

"Whatever." Adagio cut Aria off before she could say anything. "I need you to come with me right now."

"Huh?" Aria was unable to understand what Adagio was saying. "Why?"

That same old 'we're going to take over the world' expression appeared on Adagio's face.

"I have found us another way to get our Equestrian Magic back." She said.

_Really?_ Aria's eyes widened. "How?" She asked, astonished.

Adagio looked smug. "You'll see. But I need you to come with me."

A part of Aria immediately agreed to Adagio's instructions. However, another part did not.

"But…what about Triple Rewind?"

Adagio scoffed. "Pfft…them? Why should we care about them? I mean, they weren't helping at all with getting our magic back. They can be left behind."

Appalled by Adagio's callousness, Aria found herself protesting.

"But won't they be crushed if they found out we left them? Besides, I'm dating Cleffis now, and I don't want to hurt him…"

"You don't want to-what?!" Adagio looked disgusted at her fellow siren. First Sonata, and now Aria?!

"When since did you start caring about humans?"

"It's been for a while now…"

"Really, Aria! Get your siren head out of the clouds, you fool. If you want your true Equestrian magic back, that silver haired idiot is only going to tie you down!"

"You mean the same way Allegro almost tied you down?" Aria shot back.

Instantly, the violet haired girl knew she had struck a nerve with that remark. There was a flicker of hurt and sadness in Adagio's eyes, but it disappeared after a second.

"You're right." Adagio said, her voice cold. "But Allegro and I were never meant to be."

Aria sighed and took a small step forward. "Look, Adagio, you don't have to be like this! You don't have to keep on pursuing magic! If you just-"

"Just shut it!" Adagio snapped, glaring daggers at Aria. "We are getting our magic back!"

"No, we are not! At least not me!" Aria burst out before she could think any further.

Adagio stared at her. "Excuse me?"

Sighing, Aria looked her leader in the eye.

"You heard me. I don't care if I get my magic back or not. And…I don't think I want my magic back anymore."

Adagio narrowed her eyes at her silently before speaking.

"Huh. I thought you would be better than that, Aria." She remarked with a scowl. "I was right. That same sentiment that infected Sonata is now affecting you."

"Just calm down and listen to me-"

"No!" Adagio snapped, her eyes fierce and angry. "You don't tell me what to do! You've changed too much, Aria, and you're not going to change me!"

Adagio ran off before Aria could say anything else.

Aria slowly closed the door, stunned.

This could not be good.

Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto crowded around in Concerto's hotel room, whooping with joy and hugging each other happily.

"I can't believe that just happened!" Cleffis cheered. "You're finally free Allegro! No more Citrine Gem!"

"Yeah, I can't believe it either!" Allegro responded ecstatically with a laugh. "Did you see the look on Citrine's face when she realised she'd just blurted out everything?"

Both boys burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"I know, right?" Cleffis chuckled.

"Ahem…guys?" Concerto said.

Both his groupmates turned to see him walking over with his laptop. "Uh…now that we have that out of the way, can you guys help me with the song?"

Allegro nodded without hesitation. "Of course!"

Concerto grinned nervously, opening his laptop and opening the music file.

Cleffis took a look at the screen, his mouth falling open.

"When did you complete the demo for the song?" He asked, amazed.

"After you guys went back to bed yesterday. I'm not too sure if the demo sounds good enough yet, though, so it would be nice if you two could take a listen to it."

Concerto played the demo he had recorded the previous night for Allegro and Cleffis, and also gave them the English lyrics as the song went since the two could not understand a word of Korean. He then sat back and watched them anxiously for feedback.

The moment the song had finished, Allegro turned to look at Concerto.

"That was amazing!" He praised, as Cleffis grinned hugely and gave Concerto a thumbs up. "I think the song is great!"

"I can't believe you didn't show us earlier about your talent!" Cleffis added, making Concerto turn red.

"I guess I have Sonata to thank for that." He admitted.

"Maybe we can perform it at our next concert!" Allegro suggested.

Concerto's eyes widened.

"For real?"

"I'm sure Mr Biz won't mind."

"Well then, of course!" Concerto said, high giving his friends.

Today was a rather busy day for the music club. There were a lot of people streaming in, settling at the chairs and talking. But that was a good thing for Sonata. Now that she had her voice back for good, she was able to garner both appraisal and money at the same time.

As she sung, however, her heart still felt a stab of hurt every time she thought of Concerto. She wondered how he was doing, and silently hoped that Cherry was treating him well and making him happy.

While Sonata was singing, The Starlets and the Mane Seven were below the stage. Silver and Twilight were talking to each other about science and the studies of magic, given that they were two subjects which both of them strongly had in common. Pinkie Pie was talking to Cheese somewhere at the back of the music club, and Rainbow and Applejack were buying drinks.

Limelight was sitting next to Fluttershy, the two girls sharing tips on how to write an effective song.

"I can't believe how brave you are to actually put your songs out there for others to sing!" Fluttershy said shyly. "I could never do something like that! I've only ever written songs for the Rainbooms!"

Limelight smiled, a little embarrassed by the compliment. "You never know unless you try, Fluttershy. The songs you've written for the Rainbooms seem pretty good to me."

"Are you serious?" Fluttershy was astonished.

Limelight nodded.

"Yes. You know, I used to be like you. I loved to write songs, but I never dared to put them out anywhere because I always shied away from the public eye. After all, I was already getting enough attention since my parents are both celebrities."

"And then what happened?" Fluttershy asked curiously.

"My parents came upon one of my handwritten songs, the song 'Amp It Up'. They persuaded me to put it out there, and as if luck would have it, Triple Rewind took a liking to the song and decided to sing it."

Fluttershy was amazed by Limelight's story.

"Wow. You must have been really happy, Limelight!"

"Yeah, I was." Limelight Splash smiled and placed a hand on Fluttershy's shoulder. "And, what I'm saying is that maybe you should give it a shot someday. I could help you if you want."

Fluttershy smiled. "Yayyy! Thanks, Limelight!"

Meanwhile, Chandelier was talking with Rarity.

"So, how's Crystal Prep been for you, dear?" Rarity asked.

Chandelier smiled. "It's been great. Everyone treats me so well now. Although…"

She shuddered. "Principal Cinch seriously gives me the creeps."

Rarity sighed. "Doesn't she always? Trust me darling, I got the same feeling when Crystal Prep came to Canterlot High for the Friendship Games a few months ago."

She paused. "You…do know about that, right?"

Chandelier nodded. "I already know about what happened. Sugarcoat told me everything."

"Speaking of Sugarcoat, she doesn't really seem to know you that well even though she's your cousin."

"Well, I don't really talk to people a lot…"

"Why?" Rarity asked, curious.

Here, Chandelier suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"I don't really talk about it..."

"Oh come on, Chandelier." Rarity said. "If you have something, just tell me. I can understand you, I promise."

After another moment of hesitation, Chandelier sighed in defeat.

"When I was young, my parents always favoured my younger sister over me. Almost everything they did was for her benefit. So I guess when I grew up, I felt as though I wasn't good enough for anyone."

Rarity felt pity for Chandelier. Chandelier was a beauty, that was for sure, but unfortunately, the girl herself had failed to see it because of her low self esteem.

"Then…how'd you become friends with Silver and Limelight?"

"I loved to sing." Chandelier said. "It was the only way I knew how to pour out my feelings. And it just so happened that I met Silver and Limelight when they were soothing some agitated cafe goers with their singing. I ended talking to and confiding in them, and then Silver told me who she was. She said she needed help to neutralise all the negative energy the Dazzlings had spread, and so she gave me a blue pendant."

Rarity nodded. "I see. So how's everything going now?"

"Everything's fine, I guess. My parents treat both my sister and I equally now, and I have a lot of friends." Chandelier replied.

Rarity smiled. Looking a little behind Chandelier, she chuckled a little. "By the way dear, I think you have an admirer."

"Huh?"

Chandelier turned around to see a boy standing at the club entrance. Seeing her, he waved nervously and began to walk over. It wasn't difficult to immediately recognise his green hair and beanie: this was the same boy that had been present during that little incident with Trixie.

"Hi again!" The boy said with a shy smile, shaking her hand.

"Hi." Chandelier replied, smiling back. "Nice to see you again, uh…?"

"Sandalwood." The boy told her. "My name's Sandalwood. What's your name?"

"Uh…Chandelier. Chandelier Frost." Chandelier answered.

She couldn't help feeling a little amused by how shy Sandalwood seemed towards her, but his friendly nature made her instantly warm up towards him.

Rarity watched the two start up a conversation, a pleased smile on her face.

"I knew asking Sandalwood to find her here was a good choice!" She said to herself.


	23. Chapter 23: Hear The Siren Call

**Chapter 23-Hear The Siren Call**

Sonata smiled hugely and bowed to the cheering crowd that had been watching her as she finished her performance. "Thank you!" She said, waving shyly to the crowd before walking down the platform.

"Well done today, darling!" Rarity said, patting Sonata on the back with a smile. "You deserve a good night's rest!"

Sonata blushed pink. "Thanks, Rarity."

Silver, Limelight and Chandelier, plus the Mane Seven all clambered around the blue haired girl, chattering out praises.

The day was coming to an end, and having seen the last performance before the music club was closing, people were gradually trickling out of the place. And having given it all her best during the performances, Sonata was pretty much exhausted, and ready to go home for a well deserved rest.

She was packing her belongings into her little slingbag, her friends talking all at once, when another familiar figure entered the club.

Sonata happened to look up when the girl walked in. Her eyes widened in astonishment.

"Aria?"

Upon hearing another siren's name, the Mane Seven and the Starlets all froze and stared at the girl in particular.

Aria Blaze was standing right at the entrance of the nearly empty music club, staring back in surprise. Silver and her two groupmates were standing with Sonata, no surprise there, but…what were the Rainbooms doing with her? And…why was Twilight wearing a pair of glasses?

"Nice to see you, Sonata." Aria said, a little stunned and apprehensive. Seeing the same group who had taken away her powers still struck some amount of fear in her heart. "But…what are-"

The Rainbooms, also visibly surprised to see her, held back behind Sonata, looking at Aria nervously. Silver blinked, recognizing the siren, while Limelight and Chandelier looked down at the floor.

Aria coughed. "Uh…if this is a bad time, then maybe I'll come back another time…"

She took a few steps back towards the door. However, Sonata quickly scrambled over to stop her before she could leave.

"No, no, no Aria, it's okay! Now's actually a nice time!" Sonata said quickly. "And, you don't need to worry about the Rainbooms, they're with me."

Aria turned around to look at Sonata in confusion. "They are?" She glanced briefly at the Rainbooms, who began to step towards her hesitantly.

Sonata nodded reassuringly. "Yeah."

After a while more of consideration, Aria nodded. "Okay…"

"Uhh…Hi Aria…" Sunset said, trying to sound as friendly as possible as she walked over to the nervous siren.

"Yeah, hi." Rainbow Dash said.

"Hi, Aria." Silver greeted her old groupmate.

"What are you doing here?" Sonata asked curiously.

"It's about…Adagio." Aria looked around nervously, hoping the golden haired girl wasn't anywhere nearby.

"Adagio?" The last time Sonata had seen Adagio was during the night of the Music Festival. "What about her?"

"I don't think she's up to any good."

Sonata's eyes widened. "What is she doing? Where is she now?"

"Well…"

"Maybe we should go somewhere else and talk about this." Sunset interrupted. "Maybe somewhere safer than a public place."

Aria and Sonata looked at each other before nodding.

The group left the music club and walked to Silver's hotel. On the way, Aria was still apprehensive to look at anyone else and kept on sticking close to Sonata. The others, however, were observing Aria closely as they walked together. One thing for sure, she did not seem a thing like that cold, grumpy siren they had first known. As she talked quietly to Sonata, her voice was completely warm.

"Are you sure we can trust her, Sonata?" Fluttershy whispered worriedly, glancing at Aria briefly.

Sonata nodded slightly but firmly.

"Yes. I'm sure we can." She reassured her.

When they arrived at Silver's hotel room, all of them sat on the couch. Aria sat right in the middle, and after a few seconds of settling herself down, she began to explain.

"Adagio and I wanted the three of us to learn how to sing again from Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto." Aria explained, as the other listened in silence. "But it wasn't working at all."

"So Adagio ran off to try and find another way?"

"I'm not sure, but that's what I think it is. It was because learning from Triple Rewind wasn't helping, and also that incident with Allegro."

Ah yes, who didn't know about that?

"Right…all of us heard about that yesterday." Twilight said.

"But you guys did see the news this afternoon, right?" Pinkie chirped. "They said it was all a hoax!"

"And then Citrine blew up at Allegro in front of the cameras!" Rarity added, shaking her head with a sigh. "It's a shame that she's actually such a snob. I was almost going to idolize her as a fashion model."

"Yeah." Aria agreed. "Anyway…I don't really know what other way Adagio found for us to get our magic back. But I know for sure that she's back to her old self. I thought she would change. But I guess I was wrong."

"But why should we trust you?" Rainbow Dash asked skeptically.

Aria sighed a long heavy sigh.

"Adagio came to my hotel room this afternoon. She wanted me to join her so we could get out magic back. But told her I didn't want my magic back and she stormed off."

"Where did she go? Do you know?" Sunset asked curiously.

"Sorry, I don't. I tried calling her earlier, but she didn't respond. And when I called her motel room, she wasn't in."

Sonata gulped. Adagio had only asked Aria. To her, Sonata had already picked the other side. Would that mean that Adagio could be…?

"She's not going to come after me, is she?" Sonata asked Aria.

"I hope not. I don't want her bothering you after you left." Aria answered. "I just wanted to warn you in case."

Feeling uncomfortable with the Rainbooms and the Starlets staring at her, Aria stood up.

"Well, that's all I came to say, I guess. See ya."

"Wait!" Sonata jumped up. She quickly tried to think something to make Aria stay and warm up to her former rivals.

"Umm…How's your boyfriend doing?" Sonata hastily blurted out.

Aria froze at the question, a shade of red on her face.

The others gaped at her, rather amazed by this sudden knowledge.

Trying to ignore the stares, Aria smiled nervously at Sonata, her heart jumping at the thought of Cleffis.

"Oh, you mean Cleffis? Yeah, he's okay. We're okay."

Rarity let out a loud gasp.

"Aria…you're dating Cleffis Steel?" She said, before swaying a little and fainting backwards onto the couch.

Aria sheepishly nodded.

"And, um..." Sonata hesitated for a moment before asking. "How's…Concerto?"

"He's…fine." Aria said. "He still misses you, though."

"I see…"

Aria actually did very badly want to tell Sonata that Concerto did reciprocate her feelings for him and was desperately trying to reach her. However, she felt that it was better for Concerto to confess his feelings to Sonata himself. Besides, their next concert in Canterlot was the following day, and Aria had struck a deal with Concerto a few hours earlier that she would send footage of his handwritten song to Sonata. The rest, then would be up to him alone.

"Uh, Rarity?" Applejack said, staring at her supposedly unconscious friend. "Are you okay, sugarcube?"

Seconds later, Rarity sprung up and grabbed Aria by the cheeks.

"Why didn't the media know anything about this?!" She shrieked happily into Aria's startled face.

"I need details on this! How is it like dating a celebrity?"

"You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" Aria said.

"Of course not, dear, I'm just curious!"

"Okay…"

Allegro was busy fiddling with his phone, sitting in the cafeteria alone. The news regarding the controversy had already been broadcasted a few hours ago, so he was at peace.

Well…almost.

"Come on Adagio!" He muttered to himself. "Please pick up! Why won't you pick up?"

He had already called her a number of times, but during every attempt, all he heard was the dial tone.

Was she mad or upset at him? Did she want to see him? Had she found out about the news yet?

A small part of Allegro was afraid something had happened to his assistant. The rest of him was sad and distressed that Adagio wasn't picking up his calls.

Where in the world could she be…?

Adagio stood up, smiling triumphantly at her finished product.

"Yes." She muttered to herself with an evil grin. "This should work. This is even better than my old pendant!"

Finally, after such a long time, Adagio could finally regain her powers. And even better, she didn't need to deal with Aria or Sonata's nonsense! Wait…actually she wasn't so sure if that was a good thing… Adagio faltered for a heartbeat at the thought of the two sirens.

_I don't want to do this anymore!_ Sonata's heart wrenching cry echoed.

_I don't think I want my magic back anymore…_Aria's voice, calm but firm, followed closely.

Adagio found her eyes watering and shook her head with an irritated grunt.

"Ugh…they're just a pair of fools." She muttered to herself scornfully. "You don't need to care about them anymore. If they don't want their magic back, that's their problem."

Feeling bored, Adagio put the object aside and checked her phone.

'Ten missed calls-Allegro Flare' the phone screen read. Adagio sighed and rolled her eyes. Goodness, this guy was downright desperate, wasn't he? _You don't need to care about him,_ Adagio quickly reminded herself, though more tears welled up slightly at the thought of how much Allegro cared for her.

Looking at the bottom of the phone screen, Adagio realised that she had one voicemail message from Allegro. Of course, her instinct told her to delete it immediately and ignore whatever the boy had to say, but something held her back. Rather than immediately delete the voicemail, Adagio found herself tapping the play button instead.

"_Hey…Adagio._" Though she attempted to remain unaffected, her heart defied her by beating faster as Allegro's worried voice entered her ears.

"_Where are you? I've been trying to call you so many times but you never pick up. You're not upset at me or anything are you?_"

Adagio's heart wrenched slightly. Allegro was blaming himself for her ignoring his calls?

"_Listen, the Alletrine thing has been cleared up._" Allegro continued. "_But…I still don't understand. Adagio, if there's something wrong, you can tell me._"

There was a pause, followed by a little sniffling.

"_I don't…I don't care how different we are, okay? I love you, and you alone. I won't give up on you, I promise_."

After a couple more sniffles and what sounded like Allegro choking back sobs, his voice came again, despondent.

"_Well, I guess that's all I have to say. Bye_."

Adagio was unable to stop herself from crying slightly. What had she done to deserve a boy like him falling in love with her? She certainly didn't deserve him.

Her mind subconsciously floated back to the night at the Music Festival. She saw herself and him, eating tacos together and feeling nothing but content and happy in each other's company. She then saw Allegro kiss her, and herself returning it after a few seconds. Finally, she saw the devastated expression on his face when she eventually rejected his affections.

A few more seconds of reminiscing ticked by before Adagio regained her senses.

"Sentiment." She muttered scornfully, quickly sweeping the memories to the back of her head. "Allegro has his own problems!"

With a swift tap of her finger, the voicemail was deleted.

"Now where was I?"

Adagio pulled her hoodie over her head and walked out from the motel into the street.

"So, what do you think of Sandalwood?" Fluttershy asked Chandelier.

Chandelier blushed slightly. "He's a nice person."

"Is that all?" Rarity pressed.

"For now, I guess. After all, I've only ever talked to him twice." Chandelier pointed out.

"But do you think he'll make a good boyfriend?" Rarity giggled, looking at Chandelier hopefully.

"I…think so..."

Aria had started by explaining to everyone, detail by detail(as Rarity had insisted) how she had fallen in love with Cleffis and subsequently ended up going out with him. As a result, this had sparked several more conversations about their love interests. And so other than Cleffis, Concerto, Cheese and Sandalwood had come into the picture as well. Aria and Sonata had also mentioned earlier how Allegro had become smitten with Adagio. And gradually, the tension in the room had melted. Aria was now talking to everyone as though they were her close friends.

"Nice talking with you, Aria." Applejack said with a warm smile, patting the girl on the shoulder.

Aria smiled back. "No problem, Applejack."

Cleffis was waiting outside the hotel for her. He had called her earlier, and upon finding out where she was, had asked to walk her back to her motel.

"So…I guess you count as a friend of ours now, am I right?" Rainbow Dash piped up, extending a hand to Aria.

"You bet!" Aria said, and to Rainbow Dash's delight, gave her a high five.

"AW YEAH!" The rainbow haired girl shouted.

Sunset Shimmer turned to Silver Ballad.

"It's gotten pretty late." Sunset said. "I think we have to go back now."

Silver nodded with a friendly grin.

"Sure thing, Sunset."

Sonata walked over to Aria as she was getting ready to leave.

"Thanks for coming to warn us about Adagio, Aria." She said softly.

Aria turned and smiled gently. "It was nothing, Sonata. I was just doing the right thing."

"You are going to meet us again, right?" Pinkie Pie said, bouncing up and down, the ends of her pink poofy hair springing slightly. "It was really fun to hang with you!"

"Sure thing, Pinkie!"

"Anyway…is it okay if I accompany you and Cleffis back to the hotel?" Sonata asked. "If Cleffis doesn't mind…"

"I'm sure he won't." Aria cut in before Sonata could finish.

"Just make sure you come back before it gets too dark." Silver reminded her.

The Mane Seven, plus Aria, chattered out their goodbyes to the Starlets before heading out of the hotel.

After having a brief conversation with Cleffis, the Mane Seven went back to their separate homes, leaving Sonata to accompany Cleffis and Aria back to Aria's motel.

As Sonata walked beside the couple and chatted with them, she couldn't help but glance enviously at them. Cleffis and Aria were holding hands softly and lovingly, and Sonata wondered slightly what it would have been like if Concerto had ever held her hand like that.

_I guess Concerto and I can never be like that…_ Sonata thought to herself with a sigh. _He's probably holding hands with Cherry Blossom right now, anyway…_

Needless to say, Sonata still kind of missed Concerto. After hearing from Aria that he still missed her, Sonata had considered going to speak to him. But she didn't. She figured seeing him one last time would make her attempts to bury her feelings for him futile.

Maybe Concerto would get over it with time, and with Cherry. So leaving him was probably a win-win for both of them.

"You sure you don't want to tell her about Concerto?" Cleffis whispered quickly to Aria.

"Yes, I'm sure." Aria responded. "I want Concerto to do it himself. Telling her for him would kind of ruin the effect of the song he wrote for her."

Cleffis shrugged. "I guess you have a point."

"And make sure not to mention to Adagio where Sonata went if you see her."

"Okay…"

As the trio were taking a short cut right in between two tall houses, they failed to notice a silhouette following them a distance behind. A girl with the hoodie over her head, such that her face was concealed, hid behind a nearby building. Keeping a close eye on the three, especially the two girls, she grinned smugly to herself.

"This is going to be fun…"

Aria was walking and talking with Sonata when a faint melody filled their ears.

_"Aaaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaaa-aaaaah…."_

Aria and Sonata immediately looked up at each other in disbelief, while Cleffis narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Who's singing at a time like this?" He remarked.

"Sonata…" Aria said. "That sounds a lot like…."

"Dagi…" Sonata finished. "But that can't be!"

Cleffis looked at the two girls, his face blank. "Dagi? You mean Adagio…?"

_"Aaaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaaa-aaaaah…."_

_"Aaaaaaa-aaaaah, aaaaaaa-aaaaah…."_

The melody gradually began to grow louder, such that it sent a chill up the teenagers' spines.

"That's definitely Adagio." Sonata said, unaware that she was starting to glow a dark blue.

"But how did sheeeee…"

Sonata's words began to slur as a trail of dark blue mist began to swirl out from her body. The girl dropped to her knees, her eyelids slowly sinking.

"Sonata!"

Aria gasped with horror and quickly ran to her friend's side as the blue mist continued to pour out of her. Sonata seemed to grow weaker and weaker by the second as the mist swirled in a thick dark blue cloud down the street and behind one of the buildings.

Behind that building, Adagio smiled wickedly as she sang, and the blue mist from Sonata's body swirled right into her pendant on her neck.

Once the singing had stopped a few seconds later, Aria quickly helped a weakened Sonata to her feet before helping her out the alley, glancing around. She saw Adagio's shadow disappear behind one of the buildings, and almost considered giving chase. But she decided that she would go after Adagio later. Helping Sonata was first priority.

"Are you okay?" She asked Sonata worriedly.

"I guess..." Sonata replied, sounding tired and energy-drained. "I just feel a very exhausted all of a sudden…"

"I can't believe this." Aria said, holding Sonata carefully in case she fell. "How could Adagio do this to you?"

"I had a feeling she would." Sonata said weakly. "She's reverted back to the evil siren she's always been…"

"Siren?"

Aria stiffened at the voice.

_Uh oh._

She looked up. Cleffis was staring at the both of them. His hazel eyes, filled with shock and confusion, flickered from Sonata to her.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on here?"


	24. Chapter 24: A Dazzling Discovery

**Chapter 24: A Dazzling Discovery**

**Splashfire99:** It's Okay by BTOB and I'm Saying by Lee Hongki both do not belong to me. They're both nice songs though :3

Also, fun fact: I'm Saying and Only With My Heart(the song Sonata sang in a previous chapter) are both OSTs for a Korean Drama known as the Heirs. I don't watch it(my mum does), but I love the songs from there!

...

"Will she be okay?" Aria asked anxiously, as Silver and her walked out of the hotel room.

"She'll be fine." Silver reassured her. "The magic in her should recuperate in no time. She just needs to rest."

Aria heaved a sigh of relief. But worry entered her mind again once she recalled who she knew had done this to Sonata.

"What could Adagio be up to…?" She murmured to herself thoughtfully.

Silver patted her on the shoulder. "Limelight, Chandelier and I will try and work with Sunset and her friends on this."

Then, after a pause, she nervously added, "You…might want to worry about something else first…"

Aria sighed. "Of course."

Cleffis was leaning against the wall a distance away, busying himself with the interesting nothingness on the screen of his locked phone. Very cautiously, Aria approached him.

"Cleffis, I-"

"Is there something you've been hiding from me?"

The silver haired boy cut her off, keeping his phone and looking at her with a serious expression.

"Th-There's an explanation for this…"

"Just…answer my question. Are you hiding something from me? Yes or no?"

Aria had never expected this revelation to happen so soon, and neither had she ever heard Cleffis sound so stern towards her. His hazel eyes seemed to be scorching her right now as he waited for an answer.

Aria let out a heavy, defeated sigh.

"Yes…"

Aria's violet eyes lowered slowly to the carpeted floor, not daring to meet her boyfriend's gaze. Her face was red, not knowing whether to be scared or ashamed of the secret she had kept from Cleffis.

"Aria..."

The girl felt a pang of guilt and fear when she detected the hurt within Cleffis's voice.

"What's going on?"

_I have no choice, I guess…_Silently bracing herself for the worse, Aria took a deep breath.

"The truth is…Adagio, Sonata and I are…sirens."

Aria slowly began to explain everything to Cleffis. She detailed the world of Equestria,before going into detail of how she, Adagio and Sonata had lived off negative energy and were thus banished to the human world by Starswirl the Bearded. She then explained how their powers had been taken away by the Rainbooms during the Battle of the Bands and how they went their separate ways and then encountered Triple Rewind. She recounted to Cleffis how Sonata developed feelings for Concerto as she herself had for him, and how Adagio had been close to changing as well before the Alletrine controversy had prompted her to revert to her wicked ways.

When she finished, the look on Cleffis's face was incomprehensible. Aria took a step away from him nervously.

"Cleffis…?"

Cleffis held up his hand to prevent from saying anything more.

"I…think I have to go."

He didn't meet her gaze before he turned away and walked off.

Aria watched him leave, her heart heavy and small tears forming in her eyes.

Silver popped her head out from behind the hotel door.

"You alright?" She asked with concern.

Aria smiled at her, swiftly wiping away her tears.

"I'm fine, Silver. Thanks for asking."

After a moment's consideration, Aria added, "Can I stay here for the night? I…want to look after Sonata for the time being."

Silver smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

Limelight and Chandelier had left for their own homes some time ago, so Silver pulled out a spare mattress for Aria next to Sonata's mattress before heading out of the bedroom to brush her teeth. As Aria settled in her temporary bed for the night, she couldn't help looking at Sonata with worry._ I hope she's okay…_

Right now, Aria felt nothing but worry and concern. She worried of how Cleffis would deal with finding out his beloved girlfriend was a thousand plus year old siren who had once fed off hate. And she was concerned and worried also about Sonata and Adagio. Looking at the blue haired girl shifting slightly in her sleep, Aria quietly placed a hand on her shoulder. Sonata was mumbling certain words in her slumber.

"Adagio….how could you…don't leave me, Concerto…"

Concern welled up in Aria's heart. Poor Sonata had definitely been through a lot.

_If Sonata sung a Korean song, maybe she likes K-Pop…_

Hoping Silver couldn't hear her, Aria quietly sung to the sleeping Sonata.

_Are your shoulders heavy?_

_It's not easy to put down heavy baggage_

_Someone said that when you feel your dreams are getting far away_

_You should take a break_

_Are you struggling because of the same things every day?_

_Who is that for?_

_In the end, you'll fall down anyway_

_When you're struggling and feel alone_

_Listen to this song_

_Look forward to this melody you liked_

_The voice that will flow out of the radio_

_The only thing I can do_

_Is to sing the lyrics of this song_

_Even if things are hard_

_It's ok, it's ok, it's ok_

_Everything will be ok_

_I believe in you_

As if she could hear Aria's calming song, Sonata relaxed, the worried murmurs gradually fading away.

"Aria, your voice!"

Aria shut her mouth abruptly and turned to see Silver standing at the door, surprised.

"My voice?"

Aria vocalised a couple of notes.

_Aaa-aaaa-aaah…_

A shock went through her when she realised that her voice had somehow returned to her!

"I have my voice back!" Aria gasped out, too stunned to think properly. "But…how…"

Silver smiled and put a hand on Aria's shoulder. "You were singing with your true emotions, Aria. That's why."

Aria stared at Silver incomprehensibly for a few minutes before things clicked in her head.

So that's why she couldn't sing after she was defeated by the Rainbooms!

Gazing down at Sonata, who was now sound asleep, Aria remembered the song Sonata had sung for the audition. That was why Sonata and Silver managed to retain their voices!

Aria had no idea whether to feel overjoyed or sad, though, given all that had transpired that day. She was clueless on what to think of what Cleffis now thought of her upon finding out about her siren heritage, and fear entered her mind when she thought of the possibility of his perception changing.

She unhelpfully presumed that he knew her feelings for him were real…but maybe he wouldn't accept her because she was what other people would have called a freak or monster.

Aria sighed heavily to herself. _Get yourself together,_ she mentally advised. _Sonata has gone through things a lot worse than you. You should help her first since Triple Rewind's next concert is tomorrow._

As Aria pulled up the covers and dozed off, all she could do was worry.

**The Next Day**

"What? How could she?" Twilight was horrified upon hearing the news. "I thought she couldn't have possibly gotten her powers back!"

"Exactly." Silver said on the other end of the phone. "You free today?"

"Yes…Why?"

"I think there are possibly a number of scientific theories surrounding this new problem. It would great if we could discuss it."

"Sure! So…at your place?"

"Okay. Meet me there this afternoon. Maybe around one would be fine. And you can bring along your friends if you want."

"Right. See you there."

"Morning, Twilight. What's the matter?"

Twilight had just disconnected her smartphone when she noticed Spike padding his way into the room, having just woken up.

"Oh, morning Spike. I'm just…solving another magic related incident."

"Huh…" Spike remarked, jumping onto the table next to her. "You're still getting used to all this magic stuff, right?"

Twilight paused as she was packing her belongings into a small bag.

"I guess I am."

She turned to her talking pet dog with a big smile.

"But I will adapt to it eventually. After all, there's a lot more out there that I want to learn about."

She resumed packing up her things, glancing at Spike occasionally. Twilight couldn't help feeling excited at meeting a new friend who had as much interest in studying magic as her and Sunset!

It was a few seconds later that Twilight saw the worry in Spike's eyes.

"Is something wrong, Spike?"

Spike quickly shook his head.

"No, it's just that…" The dog let out a sigh.

"The last time you were involved with magic, you were transformed into a power-hungry demon-like thing. What if that happens again?"

Twilight smiled warmly, ruffling Spike's purple fur kindly.

"It's okay, Spike. You don't need to worry about me, I'll be fine."

She gave the small dog a reassuring hug.

"I learnt that the Magic of Friendship is more important than anything. And friendship is the only subject I want to focus on. And I'm not going to rip the dimension barriers apart for that."

Spike smiled and wagged his tail happily.

"Of course."

**Some time later**

"I don't get it, Aria," Sonata hissed as the two girls walked quickly down the streets, their hoods over their heads. "What's the rush?"

"Oh, you'll see." Aria muttered, pulling the siren along by the wrist.

Concerto had specifically told Aria to send a recording of the song to Sonata. However, after some consideration last night, Aria decided Sonata deserved better than that.

As Aria and Sonata walked along, Sonata wondered where Aria was taking her in such a hurry. She just couldn't figure out what was going on…

It was then Sonata noticed that Aria, walking ahead of her by an inch, seemed to be attracting stares from some teenage girls who were walking by. Even though it was fairly crowded on the sidewalk, Sonata could easily hear them whispering to each other.

"Hey look, it's her again."

"Not special anymore, huh? Where's her boyfriend?"

"Maybe he got tired of her and left…"

Sonata quickened her footsteps a little to walk beside Aria. Seeing the red on her face and the slight sadness and hurt in her eyes, Sonata realised the girls were talking about her.

"Pfft, serves her right! Who gave her the rights to take Cleffis from us, anyway?"

Sonata suddenly snapped, and jerked her head around at the girls.

"Why don't you girls just keep your gossipy mouths shut?!" She said out loud, turning some other passersby's attention to the group of presumably fangirls of Triple Rewind. "You have no idea what she's going through!"

Startled, the girls realised everyone else was staring at them and quickly shut their mouths in embarrassment.

Casting them one last glare, Sonata turned away.

"Thanks." Aria muttered, still looking a little downcast.

"No problem, Aria!" Sonata replied chirpily. "They totally deserved it, talking behind your back like that!"

Aria was definitely going through a tough time. Sonata knew for sure that Cleffis had found out about the whole siren thing, and maybe that's why he hadn't sent a single message or call to Aria the whole morning. Of course Sonata was worried for herself since it also concerned her, but she felt more concern for her friend.

She just hoped Aria would be okay.

Aria led Sonata all the way to a building that was situated almost at the end of the street. It didn't take long for Sonata to realise that the place was a concert hall.

"Why are you taking me here?" She asked Aria. "Isn't…Triple Rewind supposed to perform today?"

Aria pretended to ignore Sonata and continued walking.

Since Sonata didn't protest, Aria led her into the concert hall, which was, by now, packed with people. To Sonata's confusion, however, Aria brought her to the side of the stage, near the exit door.

"You're not going to get Concerto here…are you?"

Aria shook her head. "No."

"Then, why'd you-"

"Concerto wrote a song for Triple Rewind."

Sonata's mouth literally fell open.

"He did?! Wow, it's about time!"

Though there was a slight tinge of hurt upon hearing Concerto's name, Sonata was somewhat pleased to hear he had finally let his songwriting talent out.

"They're performing Concerto's song for the concert." Aria went on to say. "It's the final closing song, if I'm not wrong."

Before Sonata could properly reply, the lights dimmed, and a loud collective cheer went up from the crowd of girls.

"Shh, it's starting." Aria whispered, grabbing Sonata's wrist to hold her in place as the stage lights came on, and music blasted out.

Sonata opened her mouth to protest slightly, but stopped when she saw the three boys walk onstage.

Allegro and Cleffis seemed okay(though Cleffis was looking a little bothered, obviously), but Sonata, who knew Concerto fairly well by now, could see something was a little amiss with him. Her heart still felt pain when she laid eyes on the boy, but she also noticed that his lilac complexion seemed a little paler than usual. The areas below his eyes seemed a little puffy, tiredness and a slight tinge of despondency in his gaze. Anxiety welled up in Sonata's heart when she saw his state.

Either way, the concert commenced without much incident. Sonata stayed put in that same spot as Triple Rewind's performance went on. Eventually, she was so absorbed in the atmosphere that she didn't notice Aria slip away.

The songs went by note by note, and the time for the last song to be performed came. Sonata was not surprised to see Concerto standing slightly nearer to the end of the stage than Allegro and Cleffis.

Concerto took a few steps forward with his mic and started to speak. His voice resonated loudly and clearly around the hall.

"This last and final song we're going to perform is a new Korean song. So, I guess you guys are lucky to see this debut."

The crowd screamed again, prompting Sonata to cover her ears a little.

"Also, the special thing is, this song is written by yours truly."

The crowd let out an overjoyed shriek. This was the first time they had heard of a member of Triple Rewind writing his own song for the group, and they were sure it would be great!

"And…" Concerto's voice grew serious at this part.

"This song was inspired by a close friend of mine. She lit up my life, and…she left a few days ago, but before that, she encouraged me to write a song for Triple Rewind. So…here it is! Hope you enjoy it!"

There were cheers and screams as the music, an upbeat guitar tune came on. Sonata watched, knowing full well the 'close friend' Concerto had been referring to was her, as the three boys arranged themselves a little.

Concerto, still standing a little ahead of his two friends, started to sing.

_Because I was surprised by the love that came to me secretly_

_Only the heart tingling memories have remained_

_Not knowing the tears welled up in your eyes and turning away from you — I regret it_

For some reason, Concerto kept on singing for the next verse, unlike how they usually passed it around.

_I was young back then, I didn't know back then so I hurt you_

_Now I know but it's too late_

_I'm saying that I can only see you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only see you even when I close my eyes_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you even when my mouth is covered_

_Because I was hurting over a foolish love, I only gave you a selfish love_

_Not telling you that I love you and just watching over you — I regret it_

_Saying I'm sorry, saying I love you, you can't hear it anymore_

_But now I am shouting out to you_

_I'm saying that I can only see you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only see you even when I close my eyes_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you even when my mouth is covered_

_A love that makes me crazy, a love that makes me want to die_

_Even with these severe scars, it can only be you_

Sonata found it somewhat peculiar that Triple Rewind were suddenly deviating from their usual style. For this song, Concerto was singing everything, while Allegro and Cleffis were continuously at backup vocals.

_I'm saying that I only look for you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only look for you even when you hide every time_

Sonata didn't actually know any Korean, but from the emotions in Concerto's voice, and the English translation on the visualizer behind the three, she knew the song was a sad one.

_I'm saying that I think of you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only think of you till my heart grows numb_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you, I'm saying that I love you_

_I'm saying that I only call out to you even when my mouth is covered_

Concerto finished the song, as the crowds cheered with delight. Concerto forced himself to smile as he looked at the crowds, mentally consoling himself with the fact his first handwritten song was doing terrifically. He quietly hoped to see a flash of blue and dark blue hair in the swarming mass of fans, but to his dismay, he didn't.

He wondered if Sonata would know the true meaning of the song.

Outside, the crowds began to disperse, all of them chattering excitedly about Concerto's song. Sonata found herself staying put, rather amazed. _Good for him, I guess. The song was better than I thought it would be…_

As the curtains came down, Allegro and Cleffis patted Concerto on the shoulder as his smile dropped.

"Cheer up, Certo." Cleffis said softly. "If you and Sonata are meant to be, she'll come back for sure."

"... I hope so..." Concerto mumbled quietly.

The three boys headed down the stairs to the exit door.

As Concerto's eyes settled on the darkness in the area, he suddenly realised that within that darkness, near the door...

Hang on, was that a shade of blue?!


	25. Chapter 25: The Science Of Music

**Chapter 25: The Science of Music**

**Splashfire99:** I Won't Give Up by Jason Mraz does not belong to me. Also…darn, this was a cheesy, sappy chapter to write xD.

Sonata froze as she saw Concerto's eyes widen. She saw Allegro place his hand on Concerto's shoulder in concern. _Something wrong?_ She heard Allegro say. Sonata's heart beat faster as she saw Concerto's lips form a word that she couldn't hear from afar, but she could tell what he was saying.

_Sonata._

Sonata stifled a gasp. _Darn it,_ she thought._ I have to get out of here before he gets to me!_ Quickly, she went through the exit door and shut it, not caring how loud the slam was since she had already been discovered. She just needed to get away. Fast!

Sonata's dark purple tie flew out behind her as the girl dashed away from the building, not daring to look behind as she stumbled blindly out of the alleyway. Five seconds behind her, Concerto scrambled out of the backstage exit to see a blue ponytail disappearing out of the winding corridor.

Not even stopping for a breather, Sonata dashed down the street, past a couple of passers by who stared at her in confusion. She knew Concerto was behind her somewhere... For goodness' sake, she had to lose him!

Thinking quickly, Sonata attempted to lose him by scrambling into the crowded nearby shopping mall. Light on her feet, she weaved in and out of the people milling around, heading for the back door. Trying to save energy and time by not turning around, she eventually found her way out of the crowd.

Pulling open the back door and emerging into a small, well-lit staircase, Sonata ran up, held the railing and peered downwards.

There was no sign of the brown haired boy.

Sonata heaved a sigh of relief.

"Wow, that was a close one!" She commented to herself breathlessly.

She resolved to walk away and was startled to feel a familiar grip on her wrist that yanked her backwards.

With a shriek, Sonata spun round to face Concerto. In a state of panic, she quickly tried to free herself, but unlike last time, his grip was stronger.

"Sonata!" Concerto said firmly, pulling her slightly closer to him with rather startling force.

The seriousness in his voice made Sonata freeze. She stayed put with her eyes lowered to the floor.

"…What do you want?" Her voice trembled.

"I just want to talk to you." Concerto said.

Very reluctantly, Sonata lifted her head slightly and looked up.

She was almost surprised by the tenderness in Concerto's eyes.

"Listen…I know why you quit being my assistant."

"Really?" Sonata said, not believing his words at all.

"Yeah." Concerto answered, his voice serious.

"Why do you think I wrote that song?"

Sonata kept silent for a while, shocked. She had heard the song and read the English translation, but she had never fully believed that it had been about her. After all, Concerto would never like her because he was already head over heels for...

At that thought, tears welled up in her eyes as the memories returned. Once again, she saw Concerto and Cherry sharing a kiss right in front of her, almost shattering her heart into pieces as if it was glass. Tears started to flow, and Sonata started to tremble violently with sobs.

"...Sonata?" Concerto asked, voice filled with concern, when he saw the girl breaking down. It pained him to see her like this, and he felt guilt since he knew that he was the cause of it.

"I thought..."

Sonata choked back a couple more sobs.

"...I thought you loved Cherry Blossom."

She sensed Concerto tense up at the mention of his ex girlfriend's name.

"I did, but... not anymore." Concerto replied quietly.

"She wanted me back, but... I rejected her. I told her I realised that I loved someone else."

A couple more sniffles came from Sonata's direction.

"... Who?" She asked, trying not to raise her hopes too high.

"I don't think I need to tell you..."

She heard Concerto's voice right next to her left ear, startling her: she hadn't realised he had gotten closer.

She felt Concerto gently turn her around to face him. Hesitant to meet his gaze once more, she kept her tear filled eyes down, getting herself to look at his feet instead.

"Sonata."

His voice came again, soft.

"Sonata, look at me. Please."

When he didn't get a response, he placed a hand under her chin, and gently lifted her head to face him. Sonata's heart beat faster as she forced herself to look into his eyes, hers still clouded with salty tears. Unable to bear seeing her cry like this, Concerto wiped away her tears with his other hand before taking a deep breath and speaking.

"Listen...I'm sorry I had to put you throughout all this. It was my fault that you left, and I didn't even realise it. It took me so long to see that Cherry isn't the one for me."

He sighed.

"I..."

Concerto's heart pace quickened as he saw Sonata looking at him intently, waiting for what he was about to say next.

"... I love you, Sonata." He admitted finally, seeing the girl's eyes widen at his confession.

After a period of silence, Sonata burst into tears again and launched herself into Concerto's arms.  
"You IDIOT! Why'd it take you so long?" She sobbed, as she tangled her arms around his neck.  
"I love you too!"

She could hear sobbing sounds coming from Concerto as well, as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Finally, as the two reconciled, they willingly allowed themselves to cry freely.

"I missed you so much…" Concerto whispered.

"So did I." Sonata murmured, still sniffling as tears of joy trickled down her face.

Concerto pulled away slightly. Smiling gently at Sonata, he leaned his head in and brushed his lips over hers.

Sonata stiffened for a split second before reciprocating Concerto's kiss, and at last the hurt and pain that had been weighing down on her soul the past days was alleviated.

The two pulled each other as close as possible as their feelings for each other, the feelings they had been holding back for so long, became reactive chemicals. Their kiss became more loving and passionate with each second, the distance(there was no distance) between them not increasing the slightest bit.

When they had finally-and reluctantly-separated from each other, Concerto gazed at Sonata and clasped her hands with his.

"Sonata…will you become my girlfriend?" He asked.

Sonata wiped away her tears and gave Concerto the happiest smile she could give.

"Of course, Concerto!"

Aria walked down the street back to her motel after a stop at the cafe, hoping that Sonata would turn out okay.

It had been about fifteen minutes since Triple Rewind's concert had finished, she estimated. Hopefully Sonata would be touched by Concerto's song and maybe things would ease up between them.

It would be a bit harder for her and Cleffis, though…

It just so happened that as Aria was thinking about this, she spotted a familiar silver haired boy a fair distance away. Presuming he needed more time to think about the whole siren situation, she decided to walk past casually as if she was a stranger. But she her mind froze when she saw someone standing with him.

She was a little too far to actually make out what they were saying to each other, but she could see them engaged in a conversation. The girl was a minty green skinned girl with light pink eyes and dark brown hair tied into two ponytails. As Aria watched from afar, to her disbelief and horror, the girl took a step forward and kissed Cleffis, her arms around his neck.

Aria's mouth fell open, as pain welled up in her chest. Unable to tolerate what she was seeing after a few more seconds, she turned and fled.

**Meanwhile**

Stunned and shocked, Cleffis quickly pushed the girl away.

"For the last time, no! I have a girlfriend now, okay?"

"But-"

"I'm going!"

Cleffis stormed off before the girl could go after him.

Cleffis couldn't believe it. Hearing that he had a girlfriend just seemed to make his fangirls come after him more often!

And…right, his girlfriend…

Cleffis was trying not to be bothered by the new fact that Aria was not a human, but rather, a serpent like creature that fed off negative energy. However, he was bothered that Aria had been lying to him about things even after they started going out. But…of course, regardless of her being a siren, Cleffis knew he still had feelings for her…

A shriek of protest interrupted Cleffis's thoughts.

_Huh? _

"Adagio! What are you dooooiiinngg…"

Cleffis quickly scrambled to where the voice was coming from, which was behind the cafe. To his disbelief, he found Aria, looking weak and drained of her energy, slouching with her knees on the cement ground. Some kind of mist, with a strong purple hue was pouring out of her body in thick plumes.

"Oh my-Aria!"

Quickly remembering what had happened to Sonata the previous night, Cleffis ran over and held his girlfriend up.

Aria raised her head slightly to look at him.

"Cleffis…What are you doing here…?" She muttered weakly.

"Shh…don't talk now, save your strength." Cleffis gently carried up a very weakened Aria.

It was then he noticed where the streams of purple mist trailing towards.

"Adagio!"

Cleffis had already heard from Aria what Adagio was up to, but seeing her now still shocked him.

Adagio was in her dark purple hoodie and jeans still, but there was some kind of glowing pendant around her neck. It was the same size of a pendant, and was shaped like a gem, but it was golden yellow and looked more like a device. Cleffis assumed it was some kind of techno locket. The pendant/locket was open, the purple mist from Aria swirling into it. Once all the mist had gone, the pendant closed up, glowing a satisfying golden. Adagio looked down at the pendant with a pleased smirk on her face.

"Nice to see you again, Cleffis." Adagio said coolly.

"What did you do to Aria?" Cleffis demanded.

Adagio smirked at him.

"Nothing much, really, I just borrowed some of her magic. What does it matter if you know, anyway? Not like you can do anything as a powerless weakling."

"Excuse me?"

"Aria deserved it, anyway, allowing her feelings for you to cloud her judgement." Adagio scoffed, glaring coldly at the violet haired girl weakly staring back at her from Cleffis's arms. "So did Sonata."

"You'd take magic from your fellow sirens?" Cleffis said.

"Sirens?! Huh!" Adagio snapped, rolling her eyes. "They're not sirens anymore, not to me."

With that last triumphant remark, Adagio ran from the scene.

"Hey! Get back here!"

Cleffis almost ran after her but then remembered he was still carrying Aria. He looked down at her in concern.

"Are you okay?"

Aria nodded slowly.

"I guess…" She murmured feebly. "But I don't think I have enough strength to walk…"

"Come on, then. I'll carry you to Silver's house. She might know what to do."

Aria felt overwhelming fear and sadness at seeing Cleffis now, but as fatigue overruled the rest of her body, she rested her head against the boy's chest and dozed off.

"Hmm….we're not getting anywhere with this…" Twilight muttered, scribbling out the science diagram she had drawn on the notebook. "It just doesn't click!"

The rest of the Mane Seven had gone off, trying to gather evidence on Adagio's whereabouts, while Silver and Twilight were attempting to figure out how Adagio could have possibly gotten her magic back. But none of the theories they came up with actually corresponded to the facts.

"Maybe you should calm down and take a break, Twilight." Spike, whom was sitting in Twilight's backpack, suggested helpfully.

Twilight smiled and shook her head, politely declining the offer as Silver paced back and forth in the room.

"It's alright, Spike." She said. "I'm sure we can come up with something. It's just that this is so much more complicated than when I had to build that magic extracting device…"

Silver froze, her head quickly snapping up from the floor to look at Twilight.

"Did you just say 'magic extracting device'?" She asked.

Twilight nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you mind telling me more about this?"

"No, of course I'll tell you!" Twilight replied. "I designed it to detect magic and extract it from its source. It was destroyed after the friendship games, though. I threw away the remnants of the device a few days ago outside the cafe."

Silver thought for a short moment before letting out a gasp.

"Wait…"

She scribbled down something onto the notebook before covering her mouth in astonishment.

"Why didn't we realise this before?"

Silver turned to Twilight with a horrified look on her face.

"If my theory is correct, I think Adagio may have acquired your blueprints and used them to rebuild another pendant."

"What?" Twilight gasped.

After thinking about it a bit, Twilight confirmed that Silver's words clicked.

"Maybe she made use of the device remnants as well! That's how she was able to extract Sonata's magic!" She exclaimed. "But how did she manage to restore her voice?"

"Adagio must have kept the shards of her broken gem and fused them with the pieces of the device in some way." Silver said. "That way, she used her voice to draw out the magic! That explains why she isn't causing more negativity to grow."

"This isn't good." Twilight said worriedly, taking her phone and texting the rest of the Mane Seven.

"I'll tell the others. There must be some way to stop Adagio before she takes anyone else's magic…"

There was suddenly a hasty knock at the door.

"Huh? Who could that be…?"

Silver went to the door and pulled it open. She was rather startled to see Cleffis standing there with Aria in his arms.

"Cleffis! What happened to Aria?"

"She needs to rest." Cleffis answered anxiously, Silver stepping aside as he stepped into the house with the sleeping Aria. "Adagio took her magic just earlier."

"Oh no…" Twilight stood up and headed over.

"Get her to my bedroom and lie her down." Silver told Cleffis. "And…if you don't want to stay you can leave after that…"

"No, it's okay." Cleffis cut her off. "I'll stay by Aria's side. Is that okay?"

"Yes."

"Thanks."

Silver and Twilight turned to each other, worried as Cleffis carried Aria into Silver's room.

"Adagio did this sooner than I thought!" Silver commented.

She saw a rather confused look on Twilight's face.

"What is it, Twi?"

"Wasn't Aria with Sonata last time when Adagio took Sonata's magic?" Twilight asked thoughtfully. "How come Aria didn't have her magic stolen then?"

"I think that it's because Aria hadn't sung a single note before yesterday's incident even though she had gotten her voice back. She was singing to Sonata before she fell asleep last night. That's what generated the magic for Adagio to extract."

"Oh, that makes sense. But also…Uh oh."

Twilight looked at Silver in alarm.

"If Adagio really took the pieces of my device, then…the others and you and your friends are in danger too! The device should have a certain amount of magic it needs to store before the magic can be released."

"This is getting worse than I thought." Silver muttered.

Meanwhile, in Silver's room, Cleffis watched Aria as she lay on Silver's bed. Her chest was moving up and down relaxedly, so Cleffis knew she was just fine. But he couldn't help feeling a tinge of guilt for letting this happen to Aria. He had seen her behind when his fangirl had kissed him. Maybe Aria had thought he didn't want anymore because she was a siren, and was formerly evil.

_I shouldn't have left her behind like that._

Cleffis sighed regretfully. Aria may have hidden her secret from him, but he very well knew she had a good reason for doing so.

All he wanted right now was her to be okay.

He gently held Aria's hand as she slept and started to sing.

_When I look into your eyes_

_It's like watching the night sky_

_Or a beautiful sunrise_

_There's so much they hold_

_And just like them old stars_

_I see that you've come so far_

_To be right where you are_

_How old is your soul?_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_And when you're needing your space_

_To do some navigating_

_I'll be here patiently waiting_

_To see what you find_

_'Cause even the stars they burn_

_Some even fall to the earth_

_We've got a lot to learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_No, I won't give up_

_I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily_

_I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make_

_Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got _

_Yeah, we got a lot at stake_

_And in the end you're still my friend, at least we did intend for us to work_

_We didn't break, we didn't burn_

_We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in_

_I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not_  
_And who I am_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

_Still looking up... _

_I won't give up on us_

_God knows I'm tough, He knows_

_We've got a lot to learn_

_God knows we're worth it_

_I won't give up on us_

_Even if the skies get rough_

_I'm giving you all my love_

_I'm still looking up_

"Cleffis?"

Cleffis finished singing just as Aria stirred a little and opened her violet eyes.

"Aria?"

Aria's eyes opened fully, and fully realising he was there, she sat up.

"What are you still doing here? And…were you singing to me?"

Cleffis blushed slightly.

"Yeah…I was singing to you…"

After a moment, he continued on.

"Hey, Aria…I've thought things over, and I…"

"Yes, I know." Aria interrupted with a heavy sigh. "I'll try best to cope with the pain, I guess."

"What? No, Aria, I'm not breaking up with you."

"You're not? But I saw you with-"

"The girl forced on me, Aria. I let my guard down, and for that…I'm sorry."

Aria looked at Cleffis in astonishment, unsure whether to believe his words or not.

"Listen, I…I should never have walked out on you like that. I just wanted to think things over. I'm not a shallow person, Aria. I would never break up with you just because you're a siren. I just couldn't accept the fact that you were lying to me about how you lost your voice and all the siren stuff."

"I…had a reason for that." Aria replied softly. "In the beginning, I wanted you to believe I was just a normal girl who just loved music, so that I could use you to get my powers back. I really wanted to tell you when I warmed up to you, but…I didn't know how you would react…"

"I know." Cleffis replied gently. "That's why I've decided to stay by you. Siren or no…you're still the one I love."

Aria stared at him in surprise for a second before her eyes clouded with tears.

"You'd…be willing to accept a siren like me? Despite all the terrible things I've done?"

Cleffis smiled.

"Yes."

Feeling a surge of warmth in her heart, Aria gazed at Cleffis through her tears and smiled back.


	26. Chapter 26: Tactics And Measures

**Chapter 26: Tactics And Measures**

"Sunset!"

Sunset turned to see her friends walking up to her.

"Any luck?" Rainbow Dash asked, kicking her football as they came up.

Sunset sighed and shook her head.

"Nope. No luck."

"Awwww!" Everyrone groaned in dismay.

"Well, we might as well get back to Silver's room first." Applejack suggested. "Twilight did text us about Adagio's device."

The others chattered out their agreements.

"Yeah!"

"That sounds good…"

The group of six walked back to the lobby. As they neared, however, they were rather surprised to see a familiar blue haired girl already standing there.

They were even more surprised to see her making out with a particular brown haired boy.

"Sonata?" All of them said at once.

Upon hearing her name, Sonata's eyes shot open, and she and the boy jerked their heads away from each other.

"Sunset? Guys?" She sputtered in disbelief.

Pinkie's mouth fell wide open while the others coughed awkwardly.

"Is that who I think it is?" Fluttershy asked, staring at the brown haired boy, whose face was flushed with embarrassment.

Sonata blushed and nodded.

"Uh…Concerto, these are my friends…Sunset Shimmer, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Guys, this is Concerto Dawn, he's…my boyfriend now."

"Ooh!" Pinkie squealed, enthusiatically bouncing over and shaking Concerto rapidly by the hand. "Nice to finally meet you!"

"Ni-i-ce to-o mee-et you to-o…" Concerto replied, jiggling from Pinkie's overly enthusiastic handshake.

The others clambered around, greeting them.

"Why are you guys back so early?" Sonata asked curiously.

Sunset stepped closer and whispered something into her 's eyes widened with horror.

"What?!"

In Silver's motel room, Silver and Twilight were muttering out numerous scientific terms, scribbling down notes and discussing how to deal with the new problem. Aria was still resting in Silver's room, Cleffis by her side.

The doorbell rang, and Silver quickly opened the door for Sonata and the Mane Six.

She was astonished to see Concerto with Sonata.

"Oh hey, Sonata, you're back. And why is…?"

Concerto was even more astonished when a door behind Silver opened, and Cleffis and Aria poked their heads out of it.

"Oh hey Concerto!" Cleffis said, waving cheerfully.

Aria was not that surprised to see Sonata and Concerto standing next to each other, but she hoped the tension between them was gone.

"Sonata, you're back." She said, coming out of the room, as Cleffis trailed behind her.

Aria pulled Sonata in for a brief hug.

"How's things with Concerto?" She whispered into her friend's ear.

Sonata gave Aria a happy smile.

"We're okay now."

Then, after a moment's pause, she added, "You were in on the whole songwriting thing, weren't you?"

Aria gave her a sheepish grin."Yes I was."

"Uh, I really hate to interrupt everything," Twilight interrupted. "But we have something serious to discuss here."

Knowing what was to come, Sonata glanced briefly at Concerto before turning to Silver and Twilight.

"Should I ask him to…uh…go or something…"

"I think it's totally fine, Sonata." Silver reassured her. "He could come in useful."

Concerto, who was hearing everything, shot Silver and Sonata a blank look.

"What?"

"It's okay Concerto." Sonata reassured him. "Cleffis knows about this."

Standing a distance away, Cleffis looked at Concerto and nodded.

**Meanwhile**

Adagio tapped her device with a rather impatient expression on her face.

"You're kidding me…"

As it turns out, Twilight's and Silver's hypothesis about her locket device had been accurate. Having salvaged the remaining shards from her previous pendant and the remnants of Twilight's device, Adagio had fused them to create a smaller device that hung rather lightly and easily around her neck. Currently, having absorbed both Sonata's magic and Aria's magic had filled the device rather significantly. Unfortunately for Adagio, if she needed the minimum amount of magic to trigger a transformation, she did not have enough just yet.

Much to her frustration, after having walked around a lot after a period of time, there was no sign of any of the Mane Seven. Where would she get magic from now?

A thought occured to her. She knew that Aria and Sonata's magic could easily recuperate after a while, but for some reason, there was something holding her back from going after them again. She knew how weak they were getting after the magic was drained out of their bodies, and she didn't want them to become too weak…wait, what?!

Adagio blinked and shook her head with a frustrated scowl. _I can't believe I still have some amount of sentiment for those two idiots…I knew that spending too much time near normal humans would affect us! We were supposed to merely use them, but no, Sonata and Aria had to be infected by their soft hearted mentors!_

_Was Allegro a soft hearted mentor?_ A voice asked quietly in her head.

At that, Adagio faltered slightly.

Her heart still fluttered at the thought of the reddish brown haired boy, and she subconsciously pictured his turquoise eyes shining brightly as he stepped out on the stage to take the microphone. She remembered his voice, almost as powerful and hypnotising as her own echoing through her ears, tugging feverishly at her heartstrings as it did with other girls.

A sudden gleaming of red light from the pendant snapped Adagio out of her thoughts, and waking from her dreams, she resolutely pushed the images out of her head. If the pendant was glowing, that meant that something-or someone-with Equestrian magic was nearby! Adagio's eyes lit up with glee. _I wonder who it is this time._

Warming up her vocal chords a little, Adagio looked round the corner. Her mouth fell open in disbelief when she saw who it was.

The street was pretty quiet, and night would fall in a matter of time.

Allegro strolled down the pavement, whistling rather relaxedly to himself.

Today had been a great day indeed. Ever since Mr Biz's change of heart a day ago, the stress and pressure on Allegro seemed to have been alleviated. The concerts had been a success, Concerto's handwritten song was doing tremendously terrific, and the obnoxious Citrine Gem had been kicked out of his life.

Still, Allegro wondered how he was going to tell Adagio about this, not that she didn't know already. After all, she hadn't answered his calls at all ever since a few days ago. Just what was eating that girl?

His train of thoughts was broken when a melody flooded his ears.

"_Aaa-aaaa-aaah….Aaa-aaaa-aaah…._"

Suddenly, Allegro was a little weak in the knees. He swayed slightly before collapsing onto the ground. "Hey, What the…"

As the singing continued, the energy in Allegro's body seemed to drain out of him. He struggled to keep his eyes open, and to his shock, he saw some kind of red glittery clouds flowing out from him.

"What's going on…" Allegro tried to yell, but his sudden lack of energy only allowed him a murmur.

He was really frightened and confused about what was happening to him, but for some reason, his whole body was completely drained. He couldn't run or shout or do anything.

As the beautiful but haunting melody continued to resonate in his ears, Allegro's eyelids sank closed. The last thing he saw was a figure with rose pink eyes standing over him, a flash of golden hair beneath her hood.

...

"So how do we stop Adagio?" Cleffis asked. "She didn't seem to care a bit about taking magic from Aria."

"She fused her gem shards with the remnants of my device." Twilight explained. "If I'm not wrong, we have to get the locket away from her before she gets enough power to trigger a transformation."

As Twilight explained all the scientific mumbo jumbo behind the theory, Sonata leaned to Concerto's ear.

"You…don't mind this?" She asked, having explained the whole magic and siren business to him earlier.

She had expected a repeat Cleffis to come her way, but instead, Concerto turned to her with an understanding smile.

"I can take it, Sonata. Relax."

"Really? You don't mind me and my friends having magic and me being a formerly evil siren who fed off negative energy?"

"I'm new to this whole magic thing, but honestly…you being a siren is actually pretty cool."

"It is?"

Sonata blushed.

"Yep."

Concerto blushed back.

Even though the two knew their feelings were mutual, saying compliments like that among many other friends was still pretty awkward for them.

Cleffis couldn't help looking at Concerto with embarrassment.

"You seriously took that a lot better than I did." He remarked, sharing a glance with Aria.

Twilight was still talking when Aria's phone beeped.

"A text message? At this time?" She muttered, pulling her phone out of her pocket and checking it with a bored look on her face.

The bored look vanished when she read what was on the screen.

"Aria? Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked with concern, leaning over.

Aria showed everyone the text message.

"What?!" Shrieked a rather horrified Pinkie Pie.

"What is she doing?" Rainbow Dash gasped.

"I don't understand." Sunset said. "Allegro doesn't have any magic. Why would she-"

"Sunset." Chandelier spoke up suddenly.

"Yes?"

"Maybe…"

Chandelier's eyes widened, and quickly she looked up at Cleffis and Concerto.

"You two know Allegro pretty well, right?"

"Well…of course." Cleffis said.

"We've known him for quite a long time." Concerto said.

"Do you know any of Allegro's relatives?"

"Um…yeah…"

"I don't get it." Applejack said. "What does Allegro's relatives have to with this?"

"Guys…Adagio has to have a reason for just texting us that she took Allegro and is seemingly holding him for ransom. There has to be more to Allegro than we know."

"Chandelier has a point." Sonata pointed out. "I've known Adagio for years. She's much smarter than that."

"So…you're just planning to go ask one of Allegro's relatives and see if they know stuff about him we don't already know?" Aria asked, slight sarcasm in her voice.

"There has to be something." Chandelier said. "And I'm pretty sure there is someone we know that already knows about magic in some way."

"Who?" Limelight asked.

"Remember? I don't really follow Triple Rewind myself, but I have pretty good memory. I'm very sure Allegro's last name is Flare?"

"Yeah, it is." Concerto replied with a nod.

Catching on to what Chandelier was talking about, Fluttershy spoke up.

"One of the Crystal Prep students on the Shadowbolts team during the Friendship Games…her name was…"

"Sunny Flare. That's right, she's one of my classmates." Chandelier said, nodding.

"Oh wait, Sunny?" Concerto scratched his head, before his eyes widened.

"Allegro mentioned he had a cousin named Sunny once, I think."

"That's right! Maybe Sunny could know something." Rarity said.

"Do you know where Sunny lives?" Silver asked curiously.

"Of course I know, she's a pretty close friend of mine now." Chandelier replied with a smile. "I'll just give her a text."

"Until now, it almost didn't occur to me Allegro had the same last name as Sunny." Pinkie Pie piped up with embarrassment.

"I know, right?" Applejack said with a shrug. "Well, it's not everyday you find out someone in Crystal Prep High has a relation to a famous pop star."

Cleffis looked a little confused.

"You know, Allegro does actually go to Crystal Prep."

Everyone gawked at him.

"He does?!" Rainbow Dash said in disbelief.

"He does." Cleffis replied. "He was on tour with us during the Friendship Games."

The whole group was completely speechless.

"You knew about this, Twi?" Applejack asked.

Twilight nodded shyly.

"Yeah…I didn't talk to him much, but he was pretty nice for a Crystal Prepper. He wasn't arrogant or concerned much with winning. He helped me when I dropped my stuff and when I bumped into him, he never glared at me. He just smiled and said that it was alright. He did seem very stressed, though. He sometimes came late to school, and he had dark circles under his eyes."

"Yeah…" Cleffis nodded with a sigh.

"Allegro came under a lot of pressure because he was in Crystal Prep. Believe me, Concerto and I met him while he was in Crystal Prep and still an average student."

"Really?" Sunset asked.

Concerto smiled as the memories came back to him.

"Yes. It's a very long story, though…"

...

**Splashfire99:** Yes, it will be a story :). Sorry about this chapter being so short, I was at a loss at how to make it longer xp. However, as I have implied, I may be writing a short story on how Triple Rewind actually met, probably after I finish this story. I really want to develop on Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto as characters(since I have mentioned above that Allegro attends Crystal Prep).


	27. Chapter 27: That Girl Is Gone

**Chapter 27:That Girl Is Gone**

**Splashfire99:** Heck…I am at a loss on how this story will turn out. Things are really getting complicated here…

Also, fun fact: Allegro Flare was created by me way before Friendship Games came out. So Allegro and Sunny having the same last names is an entire coincidence.

Another Life by The Collective does not belong to me.

...

Adagio was standing on the first floor of an abandoned warehouse, a couple of streets away from the motel and everything else familiar. She didn't turn to look around, only gazing down at her locket, as she heard noises behind her.

As it turned out, whatever magic Allegro had had been sufficient to reach the minimum amount of magic to trigger a transformation. And, even though Allegro himself was somewhat useless otherwise, Adagio had decided that she would use him as bait to lure the others in. Of course, dragging an unconscious boy back to the motel would probably arouse suspicion, so luckily, Adagio had found this place. And even though curiosity still tugged at her, she didn't really wonder that much on why Allegro even had Equestrian magic in the first place.

As Adagio turned around, she saw Allegro's head move slightly. The boy grunted slightly before opening his turquoise eyes(which still almost stunned her there for a second). His reddish brown hair was a slight mess since Adagio previously had trouble dragging him to this place.

The turquoise eyes widened in disbelief when he realised he couldn't move his arms and legs freely. Allegro looked down in complete confusion and fear. He was in a chair, and both his arms and legs were tied.

"What…"

Memories of what happened before he had blacked out returned to him as he caught sight of the golden haired girl walking toward him.

"Adagio? What in the world are you doing?"

"Consider yourself lucky that I didn't gag your mouth." Adagio replied, her voice cold and sarcastic.

Allegro stared at Adagio. His mind was whirling, attempting to piece everything together. Why was he tied to a chair, and why did Adagio have some kind of glowing locket around her neck? Had Adagio tied him up?!

Even for a boy who had attended Crystal Prep, all the scientific and mathematical concepts he had learnt at school made no contribution in helping him.

But even so, one part of Allegro repeatedly said that this girl couldn't possibly be Adagio. Adagio would never do something like this…would she?

"You might be here for a while." Adagio continued, not making eye contact with Allegro. "So you should make yourself comfortable."

"Adagio…"

Honestly, Allegro had no idea whether to be more afraid or more dismayed right now.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Why do you think I said we were too different?"

Suddenly, Adagio raised her voice, and she strode over to Allegro with a glare.

"I'm a siren. I only wanted to learn from you so I could get my voice back after I was defeated! Aria and Sonata were meant to be with me, but they foolishly gave it up for their own desires?"

A siren?

As far as Allegro knew about sirens, they were meant to be beautiful creatures that stayed in islands and sung to passing sailors. And when the sailors attempted to reach them, the sirens ate them.

Seeing the perplexed expression on Allegro's face, Adagio rolled her eyes with a scoff.

"Please, get those grotesque images out of your head. Sirens don't eat people, neither do we sit at islands or anything. We sing to feed off negative energy. And now…"

She looked at her locket with a triumphant smile.

"…I sing to feed off magic."

No, no, no. How could Adagio be acting like this?

"You're a siren?"

Another wave of realisation hit Allegro when he processed Adagio's words.

"All this time, you…you were using me."

Adagio smiled, and it made Allegro's heart wrench at how cold that smile was.

"Yes. I was."

_No…_Allegro's heart shattered into a million pieces.

As Allegro opened his mouth to speak once more, the hurt within his voice made it crack a little.

"…I trusted you."

Adagio turned away.

"Maybe you shouldn't have." Was all she said.

Allegro watched despondently.

So this was how it had been all this time. She had been using him this whole time, and he hadn't known because of his feelings for her.

But wait…if Adagio fed off magic, that meant that he…

Allegro quickly stifled a small gasp.

"Sweet Celestia…"

To his confusion, Adagio turned around and stared at him in astonishment.

"What did you just say?"

Startled, Allegro frantically shook his head.

"I…didn't say anything." He muttered quickly.

Adagio quickly pushed the curiosity back down with Allegro's reply.

"Just as I suspected." She said with a scoff. "You don't know a thing about magic. You may have magic on the inside, but on the outside, you're just a dim witted human, just like Cleffis and Concerto."

As Adagio stood there, watching the quiet street, she could hear faint sobs coming from behind her. And even though she refused to acknowledge them, small tears ran down her cheeks.

"How could you?" Came Allegro's voice.

Despite her tears and the sadness welling up within her towards the boy, Adagio forced herself to get rid of her emotions and speak.

"Sorry, Allegro. It's just what I do."

There was a period of silence.

Even without turning around, Adagio could literally feel Allegro's turquoise eyes burning into her back. It made her feel even more uncomfortable.

Then, Allegro's voice came again.

"I guess I was wrong about you. You're no better than Citrine."

Adagio felt as though she had been stabbed by those words. She herself knew how much she had hated Citrine, that arrogant, selfish idiot.

But in truth…perhaps she herself was just like her.

Though it hurt to do so, Adagio ignored Allegro's hurtful words and turned her back to him, tears still coming down her cheeks.

**The Next Day**

Chandelier knocked on the door.

It had been almost eleven at night when Aria received the text from Adagio. Given that Adagio had stated in the text that no harm would come to Allegro(well…probably), they had decided to ask to meet with Sunny the following day.

"Are you sure she's in?" Rarity asked, standing next to her.

"Of course she is, she said so herself in the text she sent me just earlier." Chandelier replied.

As if right on cue, the door opened, and Sunny Flare, dressed in rather informal looking clothes compared to her Crystal Prep uniform, peeked her head out.

She burst into a friendly smile when she recognised Chandelier, Twilight and half of the Mane Six standing there.

"Oh, hey guys! You wanted to see me?"

Twilight nodded.

"Do you have a cousin named Allegro?"

"Um…yes, of course."

"You mean Allegro as in the leader of Triple Rewind?" Twilight asked.

Sunny sighed. "Yes..."

"That's great." Sunset said, stepping forward." We need to ask you something."

Sunny opened the door fully, letting Chandelier, Twilight, Sunset, Rarity and Rainbow Dash into her house.

"Allegro's in trouble." Sunset explained to Sunny, sitting down at the dining table. "He was kidnapped by a siren."

"I see…" Of course, Sunny wasn't so surprised after that incident at the Friendship Games.

"She's trying to feed off magic." Twilight added.

Upon hearing the word 'magic', Sunny's face turned pale.

"Oh no…"

To everyone's confusion, Sunny let out an exasperated groan.

"What in the name of Celestia!"

Sunset's mouth fell open, while the others looked at each other in confusion.

"Where'd you learn that phrase?" Sunset asked.

Sunny sighed heavily.

"Might as well tell you. My mother is from Equestria."

Sunset and the others stared at Sunny in disbelief.

"Yes, she is." Sunny continued. "She came here with her sister years ago. My mother told me their story ever since I was a child. They were sirens."

Everyone was completely astonished by this new piece of information.

"So…the Dazzlings weren't the last sirens in existence?" Sunset said.

Sunny shook her head. "Nope. My mother and aunt always spent their lives in hiding before they found the portal and managed to escape here. They adapted to a normal life here without feeding off any negative energy."

"Oh…but doesn't that mean that you and Allegro…?" Rainbow Dash gasped.

Sunny nodded.

"I guess you can say that both me and Allegro are half siren."

"So that's why Adagio is keeping Allegro with her!" Chandelier exclaimed. "He's been singing for quite some time, so he should have a fair amount of magic for her to feed off!"

"Does Allegro know this?" Rarity asked.

"No." Sunny answered. "My mother told me my aunt didn't say anything about his siren heritage to Allegro. My aunt wanted Allegro to live a normal human life."

"Well, honestly, that's not going to help him much." Rainbow Dash muttered.

"Thanks for the information, Sunny. We need to get going now." Sunset said, shaking Sunny's hand.

"Wait, but can't I help?" Sunny asked worriedly, getting up. "This is my cousin we're talking about here!"

"We know that, but we can't risk giving Adagio any more magic to feed off." Sunset told her. "So it's best you stay here."

"Oh, okay." Sunny said, still looking anxious.

Chandelier patted the girl on the shoulders reassuringly.

"You don't need to worry about this, Sunny." She said. "We'll make sure Allegro is safe. And then maybe you'll have to explain to him the whole half siren thing."

"Of course. But just make sure he's safe." Sunny told her softly.

Chandelier and the others nodded gently.

"We just need to figure out where exactly Allegro is right now…" Sunset muttered.

Cleffis, Concerto, Aria, Sonata, and the other half of the Mane Six were attempting to find Allegro.

Adagio had stated she was holding Allegro in an abandoned warehouse right near the edge of Canterlot, so the group was on the way there. They had to be very careful.

Meanwhile, though…

The golden haired girl was leaning against the side of the warehouse, using her phone with a bored look on her face.

It had been a fair number of hours, and Allegro was still tied up in that chair behind her. Silence reigned the whole area.

Of course, since she had been holding him here for almost a day, there were small intervals where she had bought tacos for him. After all, she wasn't going to let anyone starve to death under her watch. But other than that, the new tension between the two prevented them from having much conversation.

Even though, she was attempting to ignore it, Adagio still found herself listening to Allegro's distinct breathing noises and slight movements as he shifted himself in the chair. No matter how hard she tried, her mind kept on being dragged back to the boy she was supposedly holding hostage. Regardless of how many times she had attempted to push back her emotions regarding his existence in her life, all she got was even stronger reminders of him. Adagio fought to keep her mind focused on releasing the magic inside the locket.

But as she looked down slightly at the golden pendant around her neck, she found herself somewhat hesitant to open it. Every time her fingers moved near, they quickly sprung away from the small device as though it had an invisible reflective shield around it.

She couldn't understand.

She had enough magic! Why didn't she want to open the locket?!

What was holding her back?!

_This one's for those_

_Those who fall in love_

_Yeah_

_This one's for who_

_Knows what it does when _

_You get your heart torn into pieces_

_Cuz the one you want won't give you a reason why_

Even though his chair was far across the other side of the warehouse, Adagio could distinctively make out the words as Allegro sang quietly to himself.

_She's out there playing with your heart_

_Won't give it back, no_

_You can't move on, she comes, she goes _

_That gives you more hope_

_She sees you trying_

_Just to get buying_

_Then she finally says no_

The boy's voice, though faint, was filled with emotions and was as beautiful as Adagio remembered it. The trembling and short, quiet sobs in between some of the lines did nothing much to cover that up.

_Maybe I was mistaken_

_When your lips got closer to mine_

_Thought that you were my angel_

_But you slipped through my fingers tonight_

_Baby, I thought I'd seen the light_

_Thought I had this right_

_Everything aligned_

_Everything but you, baby_

_We didn't really make it this time _

_Maybe in another life_

Adagio swelled up slightly when she realised what Allegro was singing about. Of course, being the prideful siren she was, her first thought was to cross the room and get him to shut up. But once again, her physical self disobeyed the instructions and continued staying in that same spot.

_I guess, you thought, you'd have a little fun_

_And I guess I was never really number one_

_But they say you don't know what you're missing, no_

_'Till that day comes when you lose what you need now_

_She's out there playing with your heart_

_Won't give it back, no_

_You can't move on; she comes, she goes _

_That gives you more hope_

_She sees you trying_

_Just to get buying_

_Then she finally says no_

_Maybe I was mistaken_

_When your lips got closer to mine_

_Thought that you were my angel_

_But you slipped through my fingers tonight_

The sun was visibly starting to set. As Allegro continued the soft singing, Adagio still couldn't bring herself to shut him up. She was almost spellbound by his voice, and the sadness in it made tears form in her eyes. She wondered if Allegro knew he was singing loud enough for her to hear.

_Baby, I thought I'd seen the light_

_Thought I had this right_

_Everything aligned_

_Everything but you, baby_

_We didn't really make it this time_

_Maybe in another life_

Holding the locket apprehensively, Adagio tried to ignore Allegro's song of pity and open the locket. Unfortunately, she still couldn't bring herself to do so.

It didn't take her long to realise that Allegro was the cause of it.

_Sometimes the one you love can really make you go insane_

_Sometimes the feeling's right but she will throw your heart away_

She knew she still had feelings for him. That was what was blocking her from doing anything, since a small part of her was aware releasing the magic would cause harm to him in some way.

_Maybe I was mistaken_

_When your lips got closer to mine_

_Thought that you were my angel_

_But you slipped through my fingers tonight_

Adagio's face reddened with frustration.

No, no. She wasn't going to be turned by some random human's sob song.

_Baby, I thought I'd seen the light_

_Thought I had this right_

_Everything aligned_

_Everything but you, baby_

_We didn't really make it this time_

_Maybe in another life_

The song reminded her again and again that Allegro was heartbroken because of her.

After a few more seconds of failed attempts to open the locket, Adagio sighed.

She had no choice.

_In another life_

_Another life_

_Maybe, maybe in another life_

_Maybe in another life_

Allegro managed to finish the song, the melody quickly breaking off into quiet, trembling sobs. He didn't have a mirror right now, but he guessed that he looked terrible. He had tears coming out of his eyes for quite a long period of time, as the presumed love of his life watched him. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, but in his mind, he saw a look of coldness in her pink eyes.

How could Adagio have done this?

How could he have been so devoted, so caring, and so loving toward someone like her?

He thought he had finally found his significant other, but it turned out that he was nothing more than a small pawn in the hands of that manipulative mastermind.

Perhaps Cleffis and Concerto were lucky. At least for them, Aria and Sonata were no longer in league with Adagio.

That got Allegro thinking of the night at the Music Festival, the night he had confessed his feelings to her.

Had she really kissed him back? Before this, he knew for sure she had. But now…

_Maybe it was all in my head. _

_She doesn't like me._

With the silence of the night and the soft howling of the evening wind around them, Allegro inhaled softly and sighed.

What a big mess he had gotten himself into.

The boy closed his turquoise eyes, his back slouched and his head bowed. He felt nothing but pathetic. It didn't matter that he was the popular, adored leader of a rising pop group. What good was it now?

Allegro stayed in his position as his ears picked up the distinct sound of footsteps coming toward him.

He withheld himself from looking up into her eyes, full well knowing the cold, callous expression she was bound to have on her face. He mentally braced himself for the cruel remarks that were going to come his way.

So he was rather taken aback when he felt the ropes on his hands loosen.

His eyes snapped open.

The first thing he saw was a pair of light yellow golden hands quickly untying his wrists.

"A-Adagio?" He sputtered.

The pair of hands did indeed belong to Adagio Dazzle.

Once the ropes fell from Allegro's wrists, she swiftly went to untie his legs from the chair. Her expression was one that Allegro couldn't comprehend.

"W-What are you…"

Honestly, now that he knew what kind of person Adagio really was, he was unsure on whether to be relieved or fearful that she was untying him.

Adagio didn't answer, her hands fiddling with the ropes until they finally came loose. Once they did, she pulled the rope off and pulled Allegro out of the chair that she had been holding him in for the past few hours.

"Can you stand?" She asked him.

Still rather stunned, Allegro staggered a little before managing to steady himself.

"I…guess."

Instinct told him to quickly escape and never look back.

But he stayed put.

"What's happening?"

"Ugh, I'm freeing you! What else could it be?" Adagio snapped, yanking him forwards.

Allegro opened his mouth to say something as he was yanked, but whatever words he was going to say was swallowed back down when he felt Adagio's kiss on his lips.

Instantly, Allegro found himself lost.

He had absolutely no clue on what was going on, no idea on what was going to happen, but kissed back anyway.

His arms quickly found their way to Adagio's waist, and to his relief, she obliged. His heart sped up as he felt her hands tangle themselves in his hair, and at such close proximity, he could sense Adagio's heart beating fast too.

Unlike last time, the kiss was more forceful and heated on both sides, and more desperate.

The grip they had on each other was so strong that it was as though this was the last time they would ever be seeing each other.

After a period of time, Allegro was abruptly jolted out of it when Adagio pulled away.

"Run." She hissed.

"E-Excuse me?"

"I said, run! Now!"

Allegro found himself pushed away, and was shocked to see the tears in Adagio's eyes. Her left hand was gripping the small golden locket around her neck in two fingers.

"Adagio…"

Despite not knowing what exactly the girl was going to do, Allegro knew it wasn't something good.

Adagio's voice was shaking.

"I'm sorry."

Urgently, Allegro started speaking.

"Don't. Don't do this."

"I have to! I'm not going to let you get in the way of my plans!" Adagio burst out bitterly. "So please, just run away once I open this locket!"

"I-"

Adagio gripped the locket with her fingers, and she gazed up at Allegro. She was trying to look angry, but at the same time, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"And…this is probably the first and last time I'm going to say this..."

As her fingers slowly pried open the locket, the girl's expression faltered, and anguish filled her voice in the sentence that followed.

"I love you, Allegro."

With that, the emotions in her eyes faded as the locket was fully opened, a bright light surging out from within it.

Allegro gasped with horror and shielded his eyes as a blinding red light engulfed the girl.


	28. Chapter 28: A Flare Of Hope

**Chapter 28:** **A Flare Of Hope**

**Splashfire99:** Don't mind me, I really suck at writing on battle scenes :p.

"What the-" Concerto shouted, pointing upwards.

Everyone looked at where he was pointing, astonished to see a glow of red illuminate the night sky, coming from a few blocks away.

"What in the hay?!" Applejack shouted. "That doesn't look good!"

"Come on, let's go!" Pinkie said, as all of them quickly headed towards the source of the light.

As the strong glow of red enveloped Adagio, it also sent a strong wave that knocked Allegro off his feet.

Allegro tumbled back a couple metres, quickly struggling to his feet and grabbing a nearby pillar just outside the warehouse . He fought against the suddenly forceful and howling wind that whipped around him and looked up.

Adagio, glowing of red light that surged around her, was floating up into the air. Around her, the initially calm night sky was now filled with large ominous grey clouds. Lightning flashed and thunder clapped as a wave of golden sparks surrounded and transformed the girl.

Pony ears grew out from her golden hair, as her hair grew longer into a tail. Her dark hoodie and jeans were transformed into a glittering dark purple dress and a shimmering golden belt, and her sneakers shone purple, quickly morphing into gleaming purple heels. A single streak of vengeful red seared itself into her hair.

Below her, Aria, Sonata, Cleffis, Concerto, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie all skidded to a halt beside a rather horrified looking Allegro.

"Allegro, you're okay!" Concerto said with slight relief. "But what's happening?"

"It's Adagio!" Allegro pointed to the girl in the stormy skies. "She's a siren, and she's-"

"We already know!" Aria interrupted.

A bright surge of light from above them made their heads jerk up.

When the light had faded, there, hovering over them, was a fully transformed Adagio.

As with the Battle of The Bands, she was in her half siren form, except that this time, she seemed more powerful and threatening.

A red aura was emanating from her, as crackles of purple energy swirled around her hands. Her translucent siren wings were now shining a pale golden colour with slight tinges of dark purple here and there.

The group below her cringed a little as her eyes shot open. Her eyes were no longer their usual pink, but were glowing a sinister red like her aura.

"Yes…" The girl hissed, looking over herself. "Yes! Finally!"

Adagio raised her head to the sky and held her hands up triumphantly, as another flash of lightning struck.

"At last, the whole world shall adore me!"

Sonata trembled with fear and took a single step closer to Concerto's side, as he quickly put an arm around her. Cleffis and Aria clasped their hands tightly as Aria stared up at her former leader. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy gasped, while Applejack glared at Adagio, determined to defeat her.

Allegro watched, fear and dismay rampant in his mind.

The vengeful red eyes turned their attention to the small group of teenagers mostly cowering in fear below her. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she recognised Aria and Sonata, and even more when she recognised half of the Rainbooms standing with them.

"YOU!" She spat.

She flapped her translucent wings a little, allowing herself to hover just a few feet above them.

"I remember you three!" She shouted, her voice echoing. "You were part of the Rainbooms! You took my magic!"

Knowing Adagio's words were directed to them, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Applejack mustered up the most courage they had and tried to look Adagio in the eye. Unfortunately, without the other half of the Mane Six or Sunset, the trio didn't have that much power.

Adagio's face twisted into a taunting sneer.

"Not so powerful without your friends, huh? Well, it doesn't matter. I can still take your magic!"

The golden locket around Adagio's neck gleamed as she said so.

"Don't even think about it, Adagio!" Aria said defensively, stepping in front of the three.

Forgetting her fear when she saw the determination in Aria's eyes, Sonata walked over to Aria's side, blocking three of the Mane Six from Adagio.

"Yeah!" She added.

Adagio's gaze flipped from Aria to Sonata, disgusted and confused.

"What are you two doing with-"

Her eyes narrowed to slits.

"Oh…I see what's going on here. You've sided yourselves with that idiotic group of goody-two-shoes, haven't you?! Typical."

"Adagio, please just hear us out." Sonata pleaded anxiously. "There's more there is to life than just being adored by everyone-"

"I don't want to here any of it!" Adagio shrieked above the deafening rumble of thunder. "If you two aren't going to join me, then you're going to regret it!"

Aria and Sonata stood firm as Adagio rose above them, and seconds later, the golden haired girl let out a rather powerful and ear-splitting vocal.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH_!"

The girls shrieked as a huge shockwave blew them against the wall.

Adagio's voice was definitely a lot more powerful than they recalled.

The girl smiled, pleased with her voice. The golden locket glowed once more.

"Ugh…"

Pinkie Pie stumbled to her feet, looking a little bruised, as Fluttershy, who also had a couple of scratches, tried her best to help her friend up. Applejack quickly scrambled to help Aria and Sonata as Cleffis and Concerto quickly ran over to help them up.

"Are you okay?" Cleffis asked with concern.

Aria nodded slowly, her lip bleeding slightly.

"Yes. Cleffis…you have to go."

"You too." Sonata told Concerto, ignoring a large scratch on her arm.

Of course, both boys erupted into protest.

"But-"

"We want you to be safe!" Applejack added. "Please do us a favour. Take Allegro and quickly escape!"

Having no choice, the two boys nodded and sped off, pulling Allegro with them.

Adagio laughed as she saw the three boys disappear down the road. She turned back to the small group, and stared mockingly at them, Aria and Sonata in particular.

"Heh…looks like love won't help you now…"

Adagio flew towards them, preparing another vocal shockwave with an evil glint in her eyes.

Aria and Sonata looked at each other, refusing to back away from their positions in front of the three Rainbooms.

"Aria…I'm scared…" Sonata whispered.

Aria put a hand on Sonata's shoulder.

"I know, Sonata." She said quietly. "But…we have to try."

Sonata immediately knew what Aria was referring to, and as they heard the deafening song coming their way, the fear in their eyes was replaced by courage.

Both girls turned to face the oncoming shockwave, and with resolve flooding their minds, they simultaneously parted their lips.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH_!"

Aria and Sonata's combined voices melded together perfectly, forming an equally strong shockwave that effectively collided with Adagio's, cancelling out its force.

Adagio stared in shock.

"Wha-what?! How did you-"

She watched, taken aback, as Aria and Sonata glowed and transformed into their half siren forms. Unlike the siren's signature red glow, however, Aria was glowing a light purple while Sonata was glowing a dark blue.

"We don't care what you think Adagio," Sonata said, hovering into the air opposite the girl. "The Rainbooms are our friends now."

"And we won't let you hurt them!" Aria added, hovering up alongside her friend.

Aria and Sonata defending them against Adagio gave Pinkie, Fluttershy and Applejack the inspiration, strength and courage they needed. The three looked at each other with big smiles, and merely seconds later, they also transformed into their half pony forms. They floated up to hover alongside the two sirens.

Adagio raked the girls with a glare, utterly disgusted that her two ex fellow sirens had thrown their lot in with their supposed rivals.

"Just give friendship a chance." Fluttershy said, flapping her pale yellow wings gently. "We don't have to hurt you."

The girl scowled.

"Nothing you say will work, fools." She said, her eyes gleaming.

Aria sighed.

"So be it."

The three members of Triple Rewind were quite a long distance from the abandoned warehouse. However, as they ran, the thunder rumbled above them. After a while, they found themselves stopping and looking back. They couldn't really see much in the dark sky, but far away, they could distinctively make out a couple of glowing figures. Faint sounds of powerful vocalising echoed through the air.

"I don't know if we're doing the right thing…" Concerto said uncomfortably. "We just left Aria, Sonata and their friends behind to face…"

His voice trailed off as he saw Allegro shove his hands in his pockets and stare at the ground despondently.

"I know, but we had to." Cleffis pointed out with a sigh, feeling rather useless. "Even if we stayed there, we wouldn't be able to do anything to help. We're just…us. We don't have magic."

As he said this, he cast a small glance at Allegro.

Both he and Concerto knew about Allegro being half siren after reading a text from Chandelier.

It was just then that an idea struck Concerto.

"Wait…we may not have powers or magic," He said(casting a brief look at Allegro). "But I think there is a little something we can do for them."

The boys' eyes brightened. "What?"

Concerto quickly explained his idea, and filled with determination, the boys ran.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH_!"

Another powerful wave rippled through the air as Aria and Sonata(backed up by Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie) sent another attack on Adagio, who managed to fend it off with an attack of her own.

However, the wave was strong enough to knock her back a couple feet mid air.

"Ugh, that was nothing!" She scowled, her red eyes glowing.

Her locket gave a surge of light as another melodic scream left her mouth.

The group of five girls blocked Adagio's attack with much effort.

"It's only been a short while." Gasped Applejack. "But she seems to be getting stronger by the minute!"

"I don't think I can do this for much longer..." Fluttershy whispered, fighting to catch her breath.

Unlike them, Adagio didn't seem to be running out of energy that much. In fact...

Seeing the golden locket glowing strongly around Adagio's neck, realisation began to sink in.

"I think she's feeding off our magic with her attacks!" Sonata said. "We have to find a way to get the locket off her neck!"

Another vocal wave blew against them, and even with their defences, they could feel a certain amount of their magic being drained out of them.

"But how do we get the locket off her?" Called Pinkie Pie, desperation easily traceable in her voice.

"We have to find a way!" Aria said.

As the magic in her locket grew, Adagio grinned.

"Alright...let's make this a little more...exciting, shall we?"

Letting out a haunting melody, the girl summoned a stream of magic from her locket, forming an astral version of herself over her head, its eyes also a vengeful red and with tinges of dark purple on its scales and fins.

The others gasped as the siren swooped toward them.

Chandelier, Twilight, Rarity, Sunset and Rainbow Dash arrived in time to see their friends being knocked out of the sky.

"Guys!" Rainbow Dash shouted, as Rarity gasped.

Luckily, those who fell managed to regain their balance and land on their feet in some way.

Sunset immediately ran over to Aria, who looked up.

"She's feeding off our magic with each attack." She told her. "And none of us can get close enough to get the locket off her."

"Think of something, Sunset!" Fluttershy pleaded, as Adagio and her astral form levitated over them menacingly, mocking their current state.

Another attack came for them, and even with their defences, knocked the group off their feet once more.

"I can't think of anything!" Sunset cried, stumbling up. "Twilight?"

Twilight, who had an abrasion of sorts on her arm, dusted herself off and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, guys, but I can't think of anything either." She said. "I'm still pretty new to this..."

Twilight sighed as she and the group looked up to see Adagio preparing to attack them once more. They wouldn't last long at this pace.

"If only Silver were here to help us. She's more well versed in magic and magic related science than I am. I depended on her for almost all the explanations." She commented sadly.

Earlier that day, before they had gone to talk to Sunny, they had told Silver to remain at their apartment, saying that she'd done enough for them, and that they could handle the rest themselves. Limelight had stayed behind also because they didn't want more people than needed for Adagio to extract magic from.

Perhaps now was a very good time to regret that decision.

Struggling to keep their ground, the Mane Seven, plus the two sirens and Chandelier, attempted to channel every single ounce of energy and magic into their attacks. Unfortunately, none of their attacks made much effect, and some even seemed to be strengthening Adagio's power. They, on the other hand, could sense their power depleting drastically.

"Pathetic." Adagio growled, preparing to channel her magic into an attack that would finish them for good. "You girls might as well be a warmup for me before I go off conquering this world and Equestria!"

The magic and power that was in her locket was flowing so strongly through her every vein that it was overwhelming her. Any tiny bit of sympathy and sentiment toward Aria, Adagio or even Allegro was buried deep within her heart, trapped and unable to surface. All Adagio Dazzle felt right now was the want for power. The want for the whole world to fall at its knees and worship her like the powerful siren she rightfully was.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_!"

As the ear-piercing shockwave hurtled toward the ten little midgets below her, Adagio fingered the locket with an accomplished smirk on her face.

_That should do it-_

Suddenly, another loud sound startled her.

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_!"

From the left, another large shockwave collided with Adagio's.

Adagio stared.

"What?"

Shock quickly changed into agitation when she spotted the three members of Triple Rewind returning with a silver haired girl and a green haired girl. Both girls also had translucent wings, ears and tails, and were glowing cyan and lime green respectively. Something blue shimmered on their necks.

_You're kidding me,_ Adagio thought to herself irritably. _They got Silver too? How desperate._

"Silver!" Sunset gasped, as the girl ran to her side. "How'd you-?"

"I heard your voice battle very faintly back in my apartment. Also, Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto told me what was going on and where you were."

"It was the least we could do." Concerto said breathlessly.

"Thank you." Sunset said to the three boys, before turning to Silver. "Is there any way we can defeat her without having to get the locket away from her? She's been draining our magic steadily for the past minutes!"

Silver quickly turned to block another attack with Limelight and Chandelier's help before asking Twilight something.

"Your device was created to have a certain capacity of magic it could store, correct?"

Twilight nodded.

"Then we give Adagio what she wants! If she wants to our magic, then she can take it!"

Adagio fired another blast at them, and unable to react fast enough to defend themselves, the group quickly leapt and dodged the attack.

"What...oh I see!" Sunset quickly understood what Silver meant. She turned to the others.

"We need to do a combined magic of friendship attack, now! It's bound to overload the locket!"

Quickly catching on to Sunset's words, the rest of the Mane Seven nodded and floated into air opposite Adagio in their half pony forms. To everyone's-and her own surprise, Twilight floated up into the air as well and transformed into a half alicorn form just like Princess Twilight's.

Catching Twilight's gaze, Sunset and the others beamed at her.

Of course!

Given all the things she had learnt about friendship, and all the acts of friendship she had shown in the past few months, including to Sonata and Aria and the Shadowbolts, she would have enough magic inside her to transform!

Aria, Sonata and the Starlets also floated up in their half siren forms. With their own melodies, the girls summoned astral projections above themselves as well.

Adagio glared at the big group, the storm still raging around them.

"Hmph, you never learn, do you?" She sneered, charging up her attack.

Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto took a few steps back under the shelter of the warehouse, watching the scene intently.

Linking hands, the ten girls levitated higher above a rather unimpressed Adagio, glowing brighter and brighter.

With a final, powerful surge of light, a multi-coloured rainbow soared upwards from the group and plunged downwards onto Adagio and her astral form.

With a sound louder than thunder, the rainbow collided with its target, and a blinding explosion of pure white light swallowed the area.

...

The Mane Seven and the five sirens had collapsed on the ground, exhausted beyond relief. Whatever magic they had had been channelled into their group attack like force into a bullet.

As they lay on the ground, fighting to catch their breath, the light faded above them.

All of them looked up, their expressions of relief changing to horror and dismay.

"You think that was good enough to finish me?" Adagio taunted, rising higher into the sky over them. Her golden locket was glowing even brighter than before, crackling with golden energy.

"You just made me more powerful!" She cackled.

Everyone's eyes clouded with dismay. Whatever magic all of them had contributed into the attack...hadn't been enough.

Adagio laughed at the pathetic group lying weak below her feet. Her astral form did the same.

"Might as well do finish you off right here and now." She said, hovering toward them with a menacing grin.

Concealed in the darkness, the three boys stared in horror and dismay as Adagio charged up for an attack that would drain the already weakened girls' magic for good.

"This isn't good..." Cleffis muttered anxiously.

Allegro stared in fear at Aria, Sonata and their friends, far too weakened to be able to launch another group attack. He then looked up at Adagio, monstrous looking and with her siren projection overhead, looking smug.

He was still very new to whatever was happening...heck, he wasn't even that sure on what was really going on...but...things couldn't end this way.

Adagio wanted the whole world to adore her.

In Allegro's point of view, that was almost like how being a pop star was like, having fans all over the world that looked up to and idolised them.

But did that make them happy and complete? No.

If Adagio thought that worldwide adoration would make her happy and complete, it definitely would not. Even if she was a siren.

Before he could rethink, Allegro found himself walking out from his safe place.

"You can't do this, Adagio." He said aloud.

Adagio flipped her cold gaze from the Rainbooms, the Starlets and the two Dazzlings to Allegro.

"Who says I can't?" She sneered, glaring at the small pitiful looking red brown haired boy.

"I say so." Allegro replied. "Are you sure that making the whole world adore you will bring you everything you want?"

"Oh, don't tell me things like that, Allegro." Adagio scowled, looming over him. "How typical of you. For the last time, I am a siren! How do you think I survived all these years? Of course it would bring me everything I want!"

Most of Adagio immediately shrieked at her to ignore Allegro and finish it off so that she could move along to taking over the world and bringing it to its knees.

But one small part of Adagio, once again, held her back. As she stared at Allegro, a midget compared to her, the warmth returned to her heart.

_What?! I thought I had gotten rid of this feeling..._

Earlier, Adagio had assumed that if she gave in to her feelings for Allegro one final time, she would rid herself of that burden, that distraction, that temptation, for good. But she hadn't. In fact, they seemed to have grown a little more.

"No. Being adored by everyone won't change anything." Allegro said, ignoring the shocked stares from his two groupmates behind. "Believe me, I know. It's like being a pop star. The whole world knows who you are, and they worship you like some kind of idol. It's great, I'll give you that, but...the kind of completion it gives you only lasts for a short while. It doesn't give you happiness, neither does it give you what you want."

Then, after a moment's pause, "Is this what you truly want, Adagio? To shut out those who might care for you, even in the slightest ways, just for power?"

Adagio opened her mouth, but nothing came out. For a moment, her eyes softened as she looked at the group below her. They looked terribly weak, and scared. Her eyes rested on Aria and Sonata the longest. Her gaze then drifted back to Allegro. The words spoken from his mouth were firm, but his gaze was warm.

"You don't have to be like this." Allegro continued. "Just because you're a siren doesn't mean you have to feed off magic or negativity or whatever. Aria and Sonata left because they realised that power and magic wasn't what they wanted. I know-we all know that that's not what you want either."

Then, with his voice softening, he said, "Please, Adagio. Don't shut us out. Don't shut me out."

Allegro saw a look of sentiment pass through Adagio's eyes she shook her head and scowled with frustration.

"No! You're lying!" She snapped, her golden locket glowing threateningly as sparks crackled around it. "Being adored by everyone is exactly what I want! I don't need some human to tell me otherwise!"

Allegro sighed.

_No._

He tried to see past Adagio's current form, to find that nice, caring girl that he had known and fallen in love with during the past few days.

That side of her was there somewhere, deep within her. If she had been fighting back her feelings for him, as she had revealed to him earlier, there was a slightest chance that he could save her.

Suddenly, Allegro felt...different. He felt resolve, he felt hope flooding through him, filling up his entire soul. He started to sing.

_White lips, pale face_

_Breathing in snowflakes_

_Burnt lungs, sour taste_

Allegro started to glow red. Unlike Adagio's sinister red shade, his shade of red seemed more peaceful and reassuring.

_Light's gone, day's end_

_Struggling to pay rent_

_Long nights, strange men_

To everyone's disbelief and shock, Allegro rose into the air opposite Adagio. Light brown ears grew out of his reddish brown hair, which blew in the wind.

_And they say_

_She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since eighteen_

_But lately her face seems_

_Slowly sinking, wasting_

_Crumbling like pastries_

_And they scream_

_The worst things in life come free to us_

Allegro continued to sing, his voice becoming stronger with each second. The red aura around him became more intense. Adagio was taken aback.

_'Cause we're just under the upper hand_

_And go mad for a couple grams_

_And she don't want to go outside tonight_

Allegro's back glowed white suddenly, and as he kept on singing, a pair of translucent wings, siren's wings, grew to their full size, shimmering turquoise. Allegro stared straight at Adagio as he sang, his gaze unwavering as the magic inside him grew stronger.

_And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland_

_Or sells love to another man_

_It's too cold outside_

_For angels to fly_

_Angels to fly_

Cleffis's and Concerto's mouths fell open simultaneously. There hovering in the sky, was Allegro in his half siren form.

"Whoaa!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, as everyone else stared up at astonishment and delight.

Allegro's firm expression didn't change as Adagio narrowed her eyes and scoffed.

"Nice try, Allegro. But I'm taking your magic also."

She began to sing, drawing out the magic from Allegro's body.

Allegro closed his eyes and continued to sing also as he felt the magic go out of him.

_Ripped gloves, raincoat_

_Tried to swim and stay afloat_

_Dry house, wet clothes_

_Loose change, bank notes_

_Weary-eyed, dry throat_

_Call girl, no phone_

Endless streams of red clouds poured out of Allegro and into Adagio's locket. The girl smirked as the locket glowed brighter.

On the inside, a part of her felt like it was being torn apart. _I'm so sorry, Allegro._

_And they say_

_She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since eighteen_

_But lately her face seems_

_Slowly sinking, wasting_

_Crumbling like pastries_

_And they scream_

_The worst things in life come free to us_

_'Cause we're just under the upper hand_

_And go mad for a couple grams_

_And she don't want to go outside tonight_

_And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland_

_Or sells love to another man_

_It's too cold outside_

_For angels to fly_

_An angel will die_

_Covered in white_

_Closed eye_

_And hoping for a better life_

_This time, we'll fade out tonight_

_Straight down the line_

Slowly but surely, Adagio's pendant was starting to crackle even more frequently, sparks appearing occasionally jumping from its surface. Adagio, however, revelling in her glory, took no notice.

_And they say_

_She's in the Class A Team_

_Stuck in her daydream_

_Been this way since eighteen_

_But lately her face seems_

_Slowly sinking, wasting_

_Crumbling like pastries_

_They scream_

_The worst things in life come free to us_

The crackling of electricity was very frequent now. Finally realising something was wrong, Adagio looked down as she vocalised. Her eyes widened when she saw the golden locket glowing brightly.

A little too brightly.

_And we're all under the upper hand_

_Go mad for a couple grams_

_And we don't want to go outside tonight_

_And in a pipe we fly to the Motherland_

_Or sell love to another man_

_It's too cold outside_

_For angels to fly_

_Angels to fly_

_To fly, fly_

_For angels to fly, to fly, to fly_

_For angels to die_

Adagio gasped when the truth finally sank in.

"N-No!"

The locket glowed brighter as it overloaded itself, and barely a few seconds later, it blew apart with a burst of golden light.

Allegro, levitating calmly in his half siren form, closed his eyes and finished singing as the light came over them.

...

**Splashfire99:**...This was a long chapter...  
Also, other than the Triple Rewind back story thing, I was thinking about doing a little Q and A for my OCs at the end of the story.

And if there's anything confusing, I'll try to clear it up in the next chapter.

A Team by Ed Sheeran does not belong to me.


	29. Chapter 29: A Siren's Reflection

**Chapter 29: A Siren's Reflection**

Everyone got to their feet apprehensively as the light faded from sight. In front of them, Allegro floated slowly back to the ground, staring at himself in astonishment.

Rainbow Dash rushed up to him.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" She shouted.

"Are you okay?" Sonata asked.

Allegro nodded, looking slightly dazed.

"Yes...this could take some getting used to, though. I don't understand why I can suddenly-"

"You're half siren, Allegro." Twilight explained to him quickly. "Ask Sunny to explain the rest later."

The teenagers glowed, and their ears, tails and wings all vanished. Meanwhile, Cleffis and Concerto joined them.

"I guess the magic Adagio took from Allegro was good enough to overload it." Concerto commented, turning to smile at his friend. "That really took a lot of guts."

Allegro smiled sheepishly."Thanks?"

Their attention turned to a figure lying on the pavement.

Sunset gasped. "Adagio!"

The Mane Seven ran over to the unconscious girl. Her clothes were a little torn, her hair was a mess, and her wings, tail and ears were gone too.

"Is she alright?" Fluttershy said with concern, looking over her.

"We don't know for sure..." Applejack replied, trying to carry her up.

Allegro stepped forward and carefully hoisted the girl into his arms.

"It's okay, Applejack, I'll hold her for the time being." He told her.

Applejack blinked with surprise, before nodding and stepping away.

Sunset stooped downwards and picked up a handful of golden fragments that had been lying near Adagio's feet.

"Come on, guys." She said, turning to the others. "I think Adagio needs some rest."

**The Next Day**

"So let me get this straight...my mother and your mother are sirens?"

"Uh, yes." Sunny said. "That's what makes you and me half sirens, which is why Adagio could feed off your magic."

"Okay...but why did I only transform just now?" Allegro asked in confusion. "I've been singing for quite some time."

"I think that's because before this, you were never exposed to magic outside." Sunset explained. "The magic lay dormant inside you until Adagio sort of...activated it."

Allegro nodded very slowly.

"I see..."

As he sat at his cousin's house, he still couldn't help feeling a little worried for Adagio. She was currently resting at Silver's place, having been out cold the whole way there. Would she be okay? And...would she even want to see him?

Surely, with her locket destroyed, Adagio was powerless, but would she still be the same power hungry, cruel person as earlier?

The Mane Seven were hanging around them.

All of them were still pretty worried for Adagio.

...

Cleffis and Aria were sitting together at Silver's house, leaning against each other and talking. Silver was inside the kitchen, looking around for food.

Sonata was standing right outside the bedroom in which Adagio was resting in.

Concerto gently approached her.

"You okay?"

Sonata turned to him and smiled.

"Yes. Thanks for asking. I'm just...a little worried about Dagi."

"I know."

Concerto sighed as he put an arm around Sonata. A lot of things had happened during the past days. His girlfriend turned out to be a siren, and his friend turned out to be a half siren. Concerto knew for sure that life would never be the same.

"...So…how was it like? Living as a siren?"

Sonata hesitated before answering.

"I've been around for years. I honestly can't remember most of it, but I think it was heavily going around and feeding off negative energy to survive. Besides that, there was completely nothing else that mattered so much to me...until I met you."

She smiled brightly at Concerto, who blushed a deep red and scratched the back of his head, ruffling his dark brown hair.

"Heh..."

Concerto felt that he had to say something to her as well.

"And, Sonata... What I said about you at the concert was all true. I never thought my life would get any better than when you were in it. And when you left me, I...I felt like I had lost a part of myself. I...still can't believe I never noticed that you liked me until I saw your audition song..."

His voice trailed off in surprise when Sonata suddenly enveloped him in a hug.

"It's fine, Concerto." She chirped. "Put the past behind you. I'm back now, and I promise I'll never leave your side again!"

Chuckling softly, Concerto hugged back. "Me neither, Sonata."

Then, a few seconds later, Sonata froze.

"Wait, my audition song? How'd you manage to see that?"

"Aria showed it to me." Concerto explained.

Sonata's eyes widened before she turned to look at the violet haired girl a distance away. She smiled.

"She makes a much better friend than I thought she would."

**Meanwhile, somewhere outside**

Limelight was busy writing a new song in her phone as she walked with Chandelier.

"I am so, seriously filled with inspiration right now." She told Chandelier. "I think it would be a cool idea to base a song off Allegro and Adagio. Well...provided they make up, of course..."

Chandelier nodded." Uh huh..."

It was just then that she spotted a particular pair of boys walking across the street. Her eyes brightened.

"Hey, Sandalwood!" She called out, waving.

Sandalwood, whose eyes also lit up when he saw her, waved back and walked over to her with Micro Chips.

"Oh hey, Chandelier!" He said with a big smile, slight blush covering his face. "Nice to see you again!"

He spotted Limelight next to her. "Is this your friend?"

Chandelier nodded. "Yes. This is Limelight Splash. Limelight, this is Sandalwood."

"Oh, hi." Limelight said, glancing up from her phone.

"Yep. And that's my friend Micro Chips over here." Sandalwood said, pointing to the boy next to him, who smiled and waved also.

"Oh hey, I remember you." Chandelier shook his hand.

As Sandalwood and Chandelier began to talk about things at Crystal Prep and Canterlot High, Micro Chips turned to Limelight Splash, who was back on her phone.

"Um...hi." He said nervously, spotting the blue gem around her neck. "So your name's Limelight? I'm Micro."

Limelight looked up again and gave him a friendly smile.

"Oh, hi Micro. Don't mind me, I'm just...working on a song here..."

"A song...?" Micro's eyes widened. "Oh, wait, you're the same Limelight Splash that wrote one of Triple Rewind's hit songs!"

Limelight stared at him in surprise.

"You...you know that?"

"Of course I know that, the person who wrote the song deserves as much recognition as those who sang it." Micro said, adjusting his glasses with a grin. "And I don't really listen much to Triple Rewind, but I have to say, you did a great job writing the song!"

"Thanks." Limelight smiled.

Given her shy disposition, Limelight hardly had much friends. But she had a good feeling she would get along well with Micro Chips.

Sunset was just mentioning Adagio to Twilight when her phone rang.

"Hello?" Hearing what the other person said on the other end, Sunset glanced at Allegro, still talking with Sunny.

"Oh...I see.…of course, I'll let him come over. Bye."

She put down the phone and walked over.

"Allegro?"

Allegro looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Silver called." Sunset said softly. "Adagio's awake, and...she asked to see you."

Not knowing whether to be worried or excited, Allegro nervously stood up.

"Okay, sure... I'll head over there now."

"Be careful." Sunny told him quietly.

"I will." Allegro reassured her, taking his stuff and leaving his cousin's house. The Mane Seven watched, feeling anxious.

As he began the fifteen minute walk to Silver's house, fear entered Allegro's mind.

Adagio probably couldn't do much to him now, but still...

Why did she want to see him?

Various scenarios came to mind. Some ended happy, with her jumping into his arms and crying about how much she had missed him and how sorry she was, some ended terribly with her bitterly pinning the blame of losing her powers on him, and then proclaiming that she never wanted to see him again.

The second type of scenarios seemed highly likely compared to the first.

Allegro gulped.

_Sigh...I guess all I can do now is hope for the best._

So as he kept on walking, he hoped for the best. But at the same time, he mentally braced for the worst.

Adagio had been around for years. Until now, had she ever cared for anyone, let alone Aria and Sonata? A Siren who had lived her whole life feeding off negative energy and had survived on the goal of taking over the world definitely had to push back her concern for others.

Did she know how loving someone was like?

Did she know how it hurt when she hurt him?

Allegro thought of the tears in her eyes when she had opened the locket in front of him.

_"I'm sorry..."_

Why had she apologised? Did she know she was doing the wrong thing?

After a moment's consideration, Allegro decided that all those questions depended on what would occur later.

...

"I'm here." Allegro stood outside as Silver opened the door for him. "How is she?"

"She's...doing fine, I guess." Silver said softly, ushering him into the house. "She hasn't talked much, though."

"Good luck." Cleffis whispered, patting him on the back.

The five nervously attempted to busy themselves as Allegro slowly walked to the bedroom Adagio was in.

Allegro opened the door slightly and gingerly stepped into the room. It was a fairly small room, and the bed was only for one person.

In that bed was Adagio. She was turned the other way, such that her back was facing him. She didn't move an inch when he stepped in.

Allegro's heart was threatening to burst out of his chest.

"A-Adagio?"

There was no reply.

"You...wanted to see me?" Allegro asked softly.

Still no reply.

Helpfully presuming to himself that Adagio had dozed off, Allegro very quietly stepped back to the door. Unfortunately, before his hand could reach the doorknob, he was pulled backwards.

"Gahh! What the-"

Allegro found himself pushed against the door. Adagio was grabbing him by the shoulders, her pink eyes ablaze.

"How could you do this to me?!" She hissed, her teeth gritted tightly.

Startled, Allegro couldn't think of anything. As he tried to speak, his mind was completely blank.

"I..."

"I was so close! So close!" The girl shrieked, shaking him violently. "I could almost picture everyone adoring me! And then you ruined everything!"

Allegro gasped as Adagio's grip on him tightened. Any tighter, he thought, and his shoulders would break.

"Adagio, just calm down and listen to me-"

"SHUT UP!"

The outraged shout from Adagio made Allegro jolt.

He stared shocked and fearfully at the agitated golden haired girl, unable to say anything. One part of him wanted to open the door and escape, but he knew he would be making a scene if he did so. Furthermore, Allegro felt that this was something he could handle without Silver, his groupmates or Aria or Sonata. But for now, he was being forced against a door.

As the two stared at each other, Allegro saw small pearl sized tears form in Adagio's eyes. She released his shoulders and took a few steps back, trembling violently.

"How could you?" She said, her voice shaking with anger and grief. The tears in her eyes began to stream down her cheeks.

Allegro was stunned and speechless. He very hesitantly took a small step toward Adagio, but she turned away with a sob.

"I told you to run, didn't I?" She whispered, trying in vain to wipe away her tears. Her sniffles became more frequent.

"Why didn't you run?! Instead you stayed, and in the end, you, you..."

Allegro slowly walked over as Adagio lost her composure and broke down.

"Adagio...I wasn't trying to…"

"You took the only chance I had!" Adagio burst out angrily, still crying. "You hurt me!"

"I never wanted to hurt you." Allegro said quietly. "You need to understand that I...I was trying to save you."

"How does taking away my true Equestrian magic save me?! Are you mad?!"

Adagio had mixed feelings within her. Half of her wanted to show affection to Allegro, while the other half wanted to grab his tie and choke him. She was caught in between, crying since she was completely lost by now. Her magic was gone another time: she felt truly useless and without a purpose, as though she was a leaf whose breeze had fallen over the years.

She couldn't go anywhere now.

She was nothing.

As Adagio sobbed, the hand on her shoulder sent a shock through her body.

"Like I said..."

Allegro very gently pulled the sniffling girl into his arms, and Adagio, covering her tear stained face with her hands, allowed him to do so.

"I know what you feel." He said softly. "You would have been hurt further if we let you go on with your plan. You would have no one by your side, no one who cared for you like Aria and Sonata do."

Adagio's heart beat faster as she sensed the warmth in Allegro's embrace.

"Aria and Sonata...care for me?"

"Of course they do." Allegro answered quietly. "Everyone has someone who cares for them...I care for you too. And if you would give them a chance...so would the Rainbooms."

He sensed Adagio stiffen slightly at the mention of her supposed rivals, but after a while, she relaxed.

"I guess...I know why the Rainbooms had to take away our magic. Aria, Sonata and I were dividing the whole school with our singing and magic, and...I guess we would have divided the whole world if we went on."

Adagio seemed to slowly understand the other side of the story rather than just her own.

She took a deep breath.

"But...what do I do, Allegro? I spent my whole life trying to be adored. What else can I do?" She sighed, too ashamed to meet his gaze.

She tried to dry her tears as Allegro held her comfortingly.

Allegro spoke again.

"There's always something else you can do. How do you think Aria and Sonata are doing okay? They're happy being themselves, and so will you."

"And..."

Allegro paused slightly before gently turning Adagio around to face him. He couldn't keep himself from gazing into her pink eyes, making his heart race still.

"I promise I'll be there for you, no matter what. Even if everyone leaves you behind, you can trust me to help."

Adagio gazed back at him hesitantly, her eyes still a little wet from her tears.

"...You're really being this nice to me..."

Because the Rainbooms were the group that had taken away their magic, Adagio had resented them bitterly and their concept of friendship. But now, it seemed that friendship wasn't such a bad thing. In fact, the thought of friendship brought some amount of warmth to her heart.

And in Allegro's case, it was probably a little more than just friendship...

"You're...not mad at me for using you like that?" Adagio asked quietly.

Allegro smiled and shook his head.

"I was for a while...but if you're willing to change, I'll put the past behind me."

Adagio smiled back. Tears filled her eyes once again, but this time, they were tears of joy.

"Thank you."

Before she could stop herself, Adagio wrapped her arms around Allegro and gave him an affectionate hug. Of course, Allegro didn't hesitate to hug back.

As they hugged, both of their hearts fluttered wildly.

And this time, Adagio knew she wasn't going to hold it in anymore.

A few seconds later, she pulled out of the hug slightly and leaned her head in.

As it turned out, Allegro had exactly the same idea, and met her halfway.

"Allegro, Adagio, are you two okay...?"

Startled, Allegro and Adagio broke apart, their heartfelt moment abruptly shattered.

Silver was standing at the door, her mouth wide open.

"We're fine." Allegro reassured her, as Adagio turned red and looked at the floor. "There was a little drama involved, but we're okay. Thanks anyway."

Silver blushed with embarrassment.

"No problem then. I'll just...leave you two alone, then...you can come out when you're ready." She said, quickly closing the door.

Cleffis, Concerto, Aria and Sonata were standing outside worriedly as Silver closed the door.

"So...how are they?" Aria asked.

Silver smiled awkwardly.

"Yep. They're okay."

"Are you sure?" Sonata asked.

"I'm sure if they're kissing..."

The four teenager's expressions were flooded with relief.

"Oh I get it." Concerto said.

"That's good." Sonata chirped. "They made up!"

As they heard the happy chatter from outside the room, Allegro and Adagio smiled sheepishly before pulling each other in once more.

...

Pinkie Pie was throwing a party at her house after hearing the news regarding Adagio. The Mane Seven was already there, nervously awaiting her arrival.

"You sure we should just welcome her?" Rainbow Dash asked quietly. "What if she tries to-"

"Calm down, Rainbow Dash." Sunset responded, waiting by the door. "Don't be too quick to judge someone like that. Just show friendship to her, and just...maybe she'll show it back."

Fluttershy, who was peeking out the window, gasped.

"She's here!"

Quickly, the Mane Seven scrambled to their places.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack sat themselves on the couch and pretended to play video games, Sunset, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity sat themselves at the dining table and tried to interest themselves in the food displayed on it, and Pinkie Pie bounced over to the front door and pulled it open enthusiastically.

"Hi there, Adagio!" Pinkie chirped with a big grin, grabbing the girl's hand and shaking it up and down tremendously.

Adagio managed to muster up a friendly smile.

"Hi-ii-i-ii." She said, speaking as Pinkie was still shaking her hand.

Behind Adagio, Triple Rewind, the Starlets and the two members of the Dazzlings walked in.

"I'm Pinkie, in case you didn't know." Pinkie continued. "I'm the one who decided to throw this party for you!"

At the table, Rarity cringed a little, while at the couch, Rainbow facepalmed with a sigh as she fiddled with her controller.

Adagio was astonished.

"You threw a party for me?"

"Of course I did!" Pinkie replied with her big smile. "I always throw a party for a new friend!"

Friend? They really saw her as a friend now?

Turning around to glance at Allegro, Adagio decided that maybe friendship was good after all.

Attempting to get herself used to this new thing, Adagio looked at Pinkie and smiled a genuine smile.

"Wow, thanks. No one's ever thrown a party for me before." She said, observing the heavily, but well decorated interior of the house for a few seconds. "You did a good job with the decorations, I must say."

The Mane Seven were rather bewildered to hear Adagio complimenting Pinkie. However, they traced no sarcasm or coldness of any sort in her words, so after some consideration, decided to warm themselves up to her a little.

Hearing the compliment, Pinkie squealed a little. She scrambled to the table and pulled over Sunset and Twilight.

"Come on, you two, come meet Adagio!"

Twilight was the first to give Adagio a smile and shake her hand.

"I'm Twilight Sparkle." She said. "Pleased to meet you."

Adagio found herself smiling back another time.

"Hi. You're...supposed to be the other Twilight's human counterpart, right?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Nice to meet you too, Twilight."

Adagio paused, a little embarrassed when she turned to Sunset. She clearly remembered how she had played with her emotions back at Canterlot High.

"Oh...hello again, Sunset." Adagio managed to greet her.

She was a little surprised to see warmth in Sunset's gaze rather than reproach.

"It's good to see you, Adagio." The orange haired girl said. "You were out for a long time. Are you hungry?"

"I think so..."

"Great. We're eating a little now. Care to join us?"

"Sure."

The party lasted until late at night. Adagio very gradually began to warm up to the others. While eating, she ended up talking with Rarity, who, of course, went hysterical after hearing she was officially Allegro's girlfriend. She then went to mingle with Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who taught her how to play a video game. She then also talked to Limelight and Fluttershy, and gave her consent for them to write a new song based on her and Allegro.

When night had fallen, after eating pizza, Pinkie decided to turn on the karaoke machine.

"Who wants to go first?" She called.

"Maybe Adagio should go first." Sonata suggested in her chirpy manner, as she wolfed down a taco.

Adagio stared at Sonata in disbelief.

"Me? But I-"

"Just trust me, Dagi. It'll be fine." Sonata reassured her with a grin.

Adagio thought this over for a few more seconds before nodding slowly.

"Okay, then."

Everyone clapped as Adagio slowly made her way to the front of the karaoke machine, where the mic was.

She flipped quickly through the song book.

"Uh...number 58 I think." She told Pinkie, who nodded cheerfully and pressed a button.

Catching Allegro's eye from across the room as the music started up, the boy smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

Her heart was beating fast. Adagio knew that she would most likely sound terrible, but having warmed up to the others, she decided to put her pride away.

She lifted up the mic and began to sing.

_Boy you came like a hurricane_

_Knocked me down like a tidal wave_

_Didn't see you comin' so quick_

_Look at you boy movin' so slick_

Everyone erupted into a cheer. Adagio herself was surprised to hear that her voice sounded pretty good!

_Always thought love was such a hoax_

_Throwin' shoes at my radio _

_Silly love songs made me so sick_

_Couldn't stand them now they all click_

_And the reason is this this this_

_I feel like I'm about to fly_

Allegro grinned as Adagio continued to sing. _She actually has an amazing voice._

_Hey boy you got me on my tip toes_

_Don't stop kiss me and away we'll go_

_Ooh whoa oh ooah oh_

_Can't shake it so elevated_

Adagio flashed Allegro a huge smile to let him know the song was about him. Allegro immediately caught this message and blushed slightly. Cleffis and Concerto chuckled happily and patted Allegro on the back.

_Take me any way the wind blows_

_Don't stop love the way you make me float_

_Right up off my tip toes_

Adagio smiled at Aria and Sonata, who were sitting at the dining table. Both of them smiled hugely back at her.

_All my friends say I'm freakin' out_

_They don't know what its all about _

_Got my girls up tell 'em all why _

_Call the boys up tell 'em bye-bye _

_I don't know what you did to me_

_Its like a world with no gravity _

_Now you got me feelin' so high_

_Feel like I'm about to fly_

Adagio was finally letting her true feelings show themselves. As she sang, she couldn't help bouncing herself up and down a little to the upbeat tune of the song. Pinkie noticed this and began bouncing also, giggling happily.

_Hey boy you got me on my tip toes_

_Don't stop kiss me and away we'll go_

_Ooh whoa oh ooah oh_

_Can't shake it so elevated_

_Take me any way the wind blows_

_Don't stop love the way you make me float_

_Right up off my tip toes_

_It's a long way down so don't let me fall_

_You got me feelin' ten feet tall_

_Every kiss is like the fourth of July_

_Feel like I'm about to fly_

Adagio beckoned for Allegro to come forward. Allegro got up and found himself pulled up next to her. Adagio placed a hand on his shoulder and sang to him.

_Hey boy you got me on my tip toes_

_Don't stop kiss me and away we'll go_

_Ooh whoa oh ooah oh_

_Can't shake it so elevated_

_Take me any way the wind blows_

_Don't stop love the way you make me float_

_Right up off my tip toes_

A round of applause erupted in the house the moment Adagio finished.

"That was marvelous, darling!" Rarity praised, as Adagio handed the mic over to Sunset and walked over.

"You're welcome, Rarity. I don't understand, though. How is my voice-?"

"You were singing with your true feelings, Dagi." Sonata popped up behind Rarity with a cheerful smile.

"You were finally allowing yourself to embrace who you really wanted to be, and accepted your feelings for Allegro." Aria added, coming over.

She had her arms crossed over her chest, but an overjoyed expression on her face.

"Congratulations, Adagio!"

To Adagio's surprise, Aria and Sonata both hugged her simultaneously.

Smiling happily and laughing, Adagio hugged them back.

...

**Splashfire99:** Okay, next chapter will be the last one :)! Got a little song finale coming up, so stay tuned!

Tip Toe by Jayme Dee doesn't belong to me.

P.S Also, for those who are interested, I'll start posting mmvs(Maple Music Videos) of the Dazzlings and Triple Rewind on YouTube. My YouTube name is on my profile page :3.

I haven't done much so far, but I've posted one short mmv on Sonata and Concerto with the song I Hate You, I Love You. I'll probably make another one with the song Call Me Baby by Exo.

Also, cuz I wanted to envision how Triple Rewind would look like, but if I used bases on deviantart, they probably wouldn't turn out the way I wanted them to.

I'm not forcing you to go watch the mmvs, but if you want to, then go ahead :).


	30. Chapter 30: Love Again

**Chapter 30: Love Again**

**The Next Day**

"You...sure about this?" Aria asked nervously, fiddling with her dress.

Allegro nodded.

"Yep."

He turned to see Adagio peeping quickly through the curtains. She looked a little worried.

"That's a pretty big crowd out there." She murmured to Allegro. "Are you sure we can pull this off? I mean, I'm used to crowds and everything, but that was before my pendant was destroyed..."

Allegro patted her on the shoulder gently.

"It's okay, Adagio. Just remember to be yourself, and you'll be great."

Adagio smiled at his encouragement.

"Thanks..."

Concerto was walking over, Sonata following behind him.

"I think I saw Cherry in the audience." Sonata muttered uneasily.

Of course, Concerto cringed a little before quickly reassuring Sonata.

"Don't worry. If she tries to do anything, I won't let her."

Sonata sighed, still feeling a little uneasy. However, she decided to put her trust in Concerto for this one.

"Okay, then."

Cleffis ran over to them.

"It's time, guys! It's our final performance in Canterlot, so let's make this work!"

Adagio gulped as all six of them began to walk to the stage. Hopefully she was more of a welcome presence now that the controversy had been solved.

As soon as she appeared onstage, screams and shouts of joy filled her ears. Adagio was almost surprised to see the audience cheering. At closer look, she realised some of them were still shipping signs. Except this time, instead of "Alletrine", they read, "Allegio".

Adagio sighed with a laugh and turned to Allegro.

"Really? Now it's Allegio?"

Allegro shrugged with a grin.

"Who can stop them?"

Concerto and Sonata stared at the shipping signs with interest.

"You know, I wonder how our shipping name would sound like." Sonata said to Concerto thoughtfully.

Concerto thought for a moment.

"Either Soncerto or Conata, I think...but Conata sounds like some kind of dessert."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Guys, seriously."

She however, gave a small smile as Cleffis put an arm around her.

Spotting the Rainbooms and the Starlets near the front of the stage, the six waved. The Rainbooms and the Starlets waved back enthusiastically just as the lights dimmed.

As the stage lights came on, the six simultaneously started to sing.

_Taste the pain right on my tongue_

_Novocaine to make me numb_

_Don't you worry 'cause the night is young_

_Dance until the morning sun_

_Morning sun_

_Morning sun_

_Morning, morning, morning-ning-ning-ning-ning-ning_

As the others sang backup vocals, Allegro started to sing the first verse.

_I am at a loss for words_

_Can't believe I let you pull me down to this place_

_You stole my heart and soul_

_Just to think that I had dried those tears from your face_

_I've played such a foolish game_

_Feeling you were everything to me and more_

_I don't mean to point the blame_

_But baby you have hurt me to my very core_

The lights onstage flashed, splitting into multicoloured sparks as the chorus came.

_You don't know why_

_You don't know how_

_You don't know when to love again_

_You let me in then shut me out_

_You have to learn to love again_

The crowd screamed wildly. They had never heard this song before, but they loved it! Even more so since Triple Rewind had the three girls to sing with them. They hardly did much collaborations.

_Learn to love again_

_Learn to love again_

_Learn to love again_

_Ah_

Allegro kept on singing, and to Adagio's surprise and astonishment, he reached over and took her hand. Quite a number of the fans with the "Allegio" signs went crazy.

_Take me away from here_

_To a place where my feelings don't go to waste_

_We were in the atmosphere_

_Flying high above the stars that shone on his face_

_So I'm running running baby from this hurting that _  
_you've given me_

_All through the night_

_Are we dancin' baby dancin' so your pretty face is hard to see_

_Tonight, tonight, tonight (dancin' through the night)_

_You don't know why_

_You don't know how_

_You don't know when to love again_

_You let me in then shut me out_

_You have to learn to love again (work!)_

The multi coloured lights went wild with the crowd.

_Imma teach you how to love_

_Imma teach you_

_Imma teach you how to love_

_Imma teach... (work!)_

_Learn to love again (Imma teach you how to love)_

_Learn to love again (Imma teach you)_

_Learn to love again, love again, love again (Imma teach you to love)_

The lights dropped down to make the stage dim as the six of them sang together again.

_Taste the pain right on my tongue_

_Novocaine to make me numb_

_Don't you worry 'cause the night is young_

_Dance until the morning sun_

As the other five repeated the lines over again, Allegro resumed his solo.

_Taste the pain right on my tongue (you don't know why, you don't know how)_

_Novocaine to make me numb (you don't know when to love again)_

_Don't you worry 'cause the night is young (you let me in then shut me out)_

_Dance until the morning sun (you have to learn to love again)_

_Morning sun (love again)_

_Morning sun (love again)_

_Morning, morning sun (love again, love again)_

_Imma teach you how to love_

The lights surged back on as the audience screamed with joy. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash grabbed their friends around the shoulders and jumped up and down, singing along loudly to the music.

_You don't know why_

_You don't know how_

_You don't know when to love again_

_You let me in then shut me out_

_You have to learn to love again_

As the music ended, a collective cheer went up from the crowd. Everyone was clapping their hands wildly, whooping and screaming. Facing the happy audience, the six of them held hands and bowed a couple times, big smiles on their faces.

Then, Allegro and Adagio reached out and pulled Fluttershy and Limelight onstage.

"Give a hand to Fluttershy and Limelight for writing this amazing song for us!" Adagio called to the crowd.

The crowd cheered and clapped in reply, and Fluttershy and Limelight blushed slightly and smiled, waving a little to the crowd.

Spotting Micro Chips in the audience, Limelight's blush deepened when he gave her a grin and a big thumbs up.

"And a hand to the Dazzlings for singing this song with us!" Allegro added, taking Adagio's hand once more.

Adagio blushed shyly as the crowd cheered once again, and Sonata and Aria also came to her side. The three of them took a bow.

"Thank you so much!" Sonata called to the audience.

...

After the concert ended, Allegro and the rest of them headed out by the back exit.

"Great job today, you six." Mr Biz said with a smile as they walked over to the limousine just outside the centre. "It looks like our tour in Canterlot was a success!"

"We couldn't have done it without you, Mr Biz." Allegro replied with a grin.

"You actually agreed to use Limelight and Fluttershy's new song for the finale!" Sonata added. "I'm surprised."

"Well, the song does have a lot of potential." Mr Biz explained as they got into the car, their screaming fans standing nearby waving goodbye to them. "I wonder what gave them so much inspiration..."

Allegro snuck a smile at Adagio, who blushed at this.

As the car pulled off into the streets and to the hotel, Sonata's phone beeped.

Quickly, she checked her phone.

**See you outside the hotel :) **

**The Rainbooms and The Starlets**

Sonata showed the message to her friends, who smiled at each other.

"Honestly, I've only known them for a very short time," Concerto remarked. "But I think they make pretty good friends."

"So are you guys going to use more of Limelight and Fluttershy's songs?" Aria asked curiously. "They told me they were going to start collaborating after this."

Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto looked at each other and nodded.

"Of course we will!" Allegro said.

Adagio nodded with a smile, before remembering something.

"Allegro, I almost forgot to ask you...when I had you tied up in that chair, you said 'Sweet Celestia.' You didn't have a clue on your siren heritage, but you still knew this phrase. How did you know it? It's only used in Equestria as far as I know." She said.

Allegro looked a little sheepish.

"My mum says it sometimes. I picked it up from her."

"That makes sense."

As the limousine pulled up outside the hotel, the group was astonished to see their friends already waiting for them outside.

Sonata was the first to jump out of the vehicle.

"Hey guys!" She greeted everyone cheerfully.

Pinkie bounced forward and gave her a big hug.

"Hi, Sonata!" She chirped.

"We thought we'd have one last gathering before Triple Rewind leaves to continue their tour in Manehattan." Rainbow Dash explained, as the others got out of the limousine.

She glanced at Mr Biz.

"You don't mind, do you?"

Mr Biz shook his head.

"No. The bus will be here only at eight tonight, so until then, you have all the time to yourselves. Just remember to pack your things up a little earlier."

"Thanks Mr Biz!"

Much to the man's surprise, he found himself getting a big hug from Allegro.

Despite it being somewhat unprofessional, Mr Biz smiled and returned the hug.

Concerto and Cleffis looked at each other, shrugged, and joined in the hug as well.

"Awwwww!" Pinkie and Sonata said in unison.

It was just then that Pinkie's phone beeped.

Pinkie checked her messages, her eyes widening in disbelief and surprise.

"You guys can go on without me for a while, right?" She said.

"Why?" Twilight asked in confusion.

"Cheese just sent me a text, asking if he could meet me at the park for a short while."

"Oooooh, we get it!" Rarity said with a cheeky smile. "Go ahead then, darling."

"Thanks!" Chirped Pinkie, before rushing off.

Adagio was just talking to Aria when a flash of dark orange caught her eye. Her eyes quickly moved to where she had seen it, and to her shock and disgust, she recognised none other than Citrine Gem poking her head from the corner of the building.

Citrine's eyes met hers, and the girl quickly did a gesture that seemed to say 'come over here'.

Rolling her eyes with exasperation, Adagio checked to see that no one was paying much attention before scrambling over to the teenager.

"Okay, Citrine, what is it now? What fabulous insult have you prepared for me this ti-"

Adagio was cut short when Citrine hastily shoved a scrunched piece of paper into her hand.

"Take this." The girl muttered.

Confused and rather taken aback by the sudden action, Adagio opened the piece of paper to see a whole paragraph of words written on it. Was it a letter?

"Citrine, wha-?"

By the time she looked up, Citrine was already running off.

_What is this about?_

"Adagio?"

Adagio was startled as Allegro walked over to her.

"You alright? Why did you go here?"

"It's okay, Allegro, I was just...thinking."

"Well, come on. I'll be leaving in six hours' time, you know."

Then, after a pause, he said, "Honestly, it sounds like an awfully short time to me."

"It is a short time." Adagio admitted. "But let's make the best of it. Come on."

Holding hands, Allegro and Adagio walked back to join the others.

"We thought it would be a great idea to book a lounge in the hotel for this." Limelight said proudly. "All of us chipped in on the overall cost."

The group was currently stepping into the lounge in question.

"Nice!" Cleffis remarked, as Sonata spotted a large table of food nearby.

Her eyes lit up as she spotted a giant platter of tacos on them.

"There's TACOS!" She shrieked.

Applejack was nearly blown over as a blue streak whipped past her. Sonata skidded to a halt noisily beside the table, and immediately took a large bite out of a taco.

Everyone else settled around different parts of the room.

As the music came on, Adagio stood at the side of the lounge. Allegro was talking with his group mates while taking food at the table, so Adagio decided now was a good time. She smoothened out the paper Citrine had so urgently given to her. She began to read the words written on it in black ink.

_To Adagio:_

_How are you? I...hope you're fine. As you can probably see, I had to swallow my pride down to write this to you, since I couldn't bring myself to say it face to face yet. But let me just go ahead and say what I want to say. _

_I'm sorry about the way I acted towards you. I did like Allegro, and I just couldn't accept the fact that he didn't like me back. So when you came along, I kept on putting you down so that I could keep Allegro with me. Even when Mr Show Biz revealed that it was part of a stunt, I refused to let it be. _

_But after everything, I looked at things with your point of view and felt sorry for you. _

_Honestly, I don't know if you like Allegro back, but...he does like you. It's easy to tell. I hope you'll make him happy, because he wasn't happy at all thanks to my selfishness. And I promise I won't come after you or anything._

_I don't really expect you to forgive me, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay with the whole Alletrine thing being called off now. And...I know I still have a lot to learn in terms of my character. If you ever forgive me, maybe we can meet up sometime or talk. Maybe u could be a good friend. If not, then I understand. _

_Well, that's all I have to say. _

_Best Wishes, _  
_Citrine_

Adagio was completely dumbstruck.

Had Citrine just...apologised to her?

Given all that had happened, the girl was most likely at an all time low right now. She must have gone even lower to write this letter to her.

Glancing at Sunset Shimmer talking to Twilight Sparkle a distance away, Adagio remembered that she would probably start learning about the magic of friendship with the Rainbooms.

Perhaps now, she had someone to spread that knowledge to. And she had someone to forgive.

Pinkie Pie came speeding back half an hour later, shrieking happily. Apparently, Cheese had confessed that he had feelings for her, and the twosome had arranged for a first date. Sonata, who was happy for her friend, congratulated her over and over again along with the others.

...

By the time the sky was dark, the celebration was in full swing. Aria was singing her heart out, Cleffis joining her for a duet, while Adagio and Allegro were talking to Sunset, and the others were either dancing or at the food table.

Sonata was busy stuffing her face with tacos when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

She turned round and smiled.

"Concerto!"

"Hey, um Sonata." Concerto said softly, blushing. "You've been eating tacos for quite a while."

"I know..." Sonata said with a blush.

"Today's the last time we'll be seeing each other in a while...so I was wondering if you would be so kind as to dance with me for a bit."

Sonata almost choked on the taco sauce.

"What?"

She looked up at her boyfriend apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Concerto, but honestly, I'm not much of a dancer."

"Well, I'm not leaving you to keep eating tacos the rest of the night." Concerto replied with a smirk, pulling Sonata up. "And don't worry, it's pretty simple. Just follow my lead."

As Sonata found herself being led into the centre of the room, an upbeat song came on.

Pulling her lightly to face him, Concerto showed her a basic dance move, which she easily replicated.

"See? You're not that bad." He said with a grin. "Now let's take it up a little bit."

Sonata managed to follow Concerto perfectly as he demonstrated more dance moves for her, and eventually, Sonata could dance on her own. Concerto changed his routine to complement hers. The two had their eyes on only each other as the music blared around them.

It was just then that the music dropped to a slow, steady tune.

Sonata stiffened as her mind quickly recognised the song as 'Like I'm Gonna Lose You' flowed through the room.

Pinkie Pie was standing near the music player, shooting her a mischievous grin.

Sonata's face reddened with embarrassment.

_Pinkie!_

Sonata was suddenly startled to find Concerto a few inches closer to her, giving her a reassuring smile. She was even more surprised to suddenly sense his hands on her waist.

"Concerto?"

Concerto pulled her close.

"Like I said, just follow me. There's no need to be embarrassed." He told her softly, guiding her hands to his shoulders.

Sonata's heart thumped hard as she struggled to figure out where and how to move her feet. Concerto, however, smiled with encouragement and motioned for her to stick to the slow rhythm of the song. Sonata complied, of course, and as the two of them slow danced, she subconsciously moved herself a little closer to him and was suddenly resting her head on his shoulder. Concerto willingly allowed her to, a feeling of happiness surging up within his heart.

"I wonder if the two of them know they're the only ones dancing." Rainbow Dash remarked, looking at Concerto and Sonata with slight amusement.

"Heh, let them be anyway. They probably want some time alone." Cleffis said, putting an arm on the shoulder of a rather blushing Aria.

….

Time passed, and soon enough, the group was standing outside the hotel. The bus that was meant to take Triple Rewind and their crew to Manehattan was in the driveway.

Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto shook hands with the rest of the Mane Six and the Starlets.

"Good luck with your careers." Sunset said with a smile.

"And good luck to you guys too." Allegro replied with a smile. "You'll...take care of the Dazzlings, right?"

"Of course we will." Applejack reassured him. "Plus I'm the element of honesty, so you can mark my words!"

Cleffis loaded his luggage into the bus before turning to bid Aria, Sonata and Adagio goodbye. He saw worry in Aria's eyes and became concerned.

"What's the matter?" He asked, walking closer to her.

Aria looked up at him nervously. "You won't forget me once you're gone...will you?"

"Of course I won't, why?"

"It's just that..." Aria sighed, staring at her feet. "You still have a lot of girls who have their eyes on you. What if you run off with one of them and leave me behind? I'm a little worri-"

Aria was a little taken aback when Cleffis suddenly kissed her on the lips.

She kissed him back, and after a few seconds, he pulled away.

"Look at me, Aria." He told her comfortingly. "I promise you, no one will ever change me the way you did. And I swear, no matter what anyone does, I'll stay by your side."

Although still slightly worried, Aria smiled a small smile.

"Besides," Cleffis added. "Our tour will end in a few weeks' time. After that, we'll be taking a break from our careers so that we can catch up on our studies. I'll be sure to visit very often after I go back to Cloudsdale Academy."

"YOU ATTEND CLOUDSDALE ACADEMY?!" Rainbow Dash shrieked, suddenly appearing next to Cleffis, startling him.

Cleffis nodded, a little embarrassed.

"That's so awesome!" Rainbow Dash cried, suddenly acting like some kind of fangirl. "I know that academy! They're famous for their sports programs! Omigosh, omigosh, OMIGOSH!"

As Rainbow Dash continued to freak out, Aria gave Cleffis one last hug.

"I'll be waiting for you to visit, then." She said quietly.

Allegro walked over to Adagio.

"So, I guess according to what Cleffis just said, you'll be resuming your studies at Crystal Prep?" Adagio asked.

Allegro nodded with a smile.

"Yep. I probably have a lot to catch up on. Also, I heard from Chandelier that it won't be so stressful this time. It appears that the Friendship Games this year seems to have improved everyone's uptight attitude over there. Sunny explained everything earlier, so hopefully I won't come under too much pressure."

He paused. "I suppose you, Aria and Sonata could resume attending Canterlot High?"

Adagio hesitated for a while before answering.

"I...guess. If they'll have us, especially after what we did."

Meanwhile, Sonata walked over to Concerto.

"You know...I'm really going to miss you again." She said, gazing at him shyly.

Concerto smiled at her.

"So will I." He replied, taking a step forward.

He lightly pressed his lips to Sonata's, putting his arms around her waist. Sonata pressed her own lips back against his, lightly pressing against him for a while before they both pulled away.

"You will text me often, right?" Sonata asked quietly.

Concerto nodded. "Yeah. I'm home schooled anyway, so I'll easily make time to visit you."

Sonata hugged him.

"You're the best thing that's ever happened to me." Concerto whispered.

"So are you."  
Sonata whispered back affectionately.

Concerto tilted his head slightly and gave Sonata one last peck on the cheek before pulling away and heading up the bus.

Allegro and Cleffis also said their final goodbyes to everyone else before going up.

The group of girls stayed outside the hotel, waving as the bus pulled out of the driveway and into the streets.

Concerto waved at everyone, Sonata especially, before they faded into the distance.

Cleffis smiled to himself. "I already can't wait to see Aria and her friends again. Right, guys?"

"Yeah." Allegro agreed.

Suddenly, his phone beeped.

"A text already?"

Upon checking the message, a small amused smile grew on Allegro's face. It was a text from Adagio.

**Oh right, I forgot to remind you: the next time you do a concert, and you sprout those ears and wings again, tell Mr Biz it's special effects.**

FIN

...

**Splashfire99:** And that's the last chapter for this story! God, I feel so reluctant and sad to end this, this was a nice story to write :)

Love Again by Pentatonix does not belong to me.

But I probably will develop more on Triple Rewind as characters, and that oneshot of how they met is still yet to come! So technically, the story's not over yet!

And I will be doing a Q and A for the next chapter of this, so I will be needing questions for the characters (mostly my OCs), so please give me some questions during the next four days!

**Sonata:** And we will answer those question -TACO!

**Splashfire99:** What the...O.o Sonata what are you-(sees Sonata eyeing the taco in my hand)

Oh crap.

**Sonata:** TACOOOOOOO!

**Splashfire99:** RUN AWAAAYYYYY!

**P.S Please give the characters some questions during the next four days!**


	31. Q and A

**Q And A**

**Splashfire99:** Okay, before I start this, I apologise if I happened to miss out on anyone's questions. Also, I tried my best to have the questions answered, and I'm sorry if I didn't answer your question properly.

This actually turned out a lot longer than I thought it would be O.o

Now let's get started!

...

The group stumbled out of the navy blue police box and into a small but well lit room, feeling dazed and confused. They were even more confused to see a black haired girl with rectangular spectacles wearing a dotted white blouse and blue denim jeans walking up to them.

"Welcome, guys!" The girl greeted them cheerfully, pointing to a table with chairs. "Go ahead and sit there."

"That thing was bigger on the inside." Gasped Adagio.

As she, Sonata and Concerto looked round, Aria stared at the black haired girl suspiciously.

"Why did you bring us here?"

"That's definitely something we all want to know, Splash." Cleffis added, folding his arms. "I know you're the author, and anything that happens is practically in your control, but what's with the sudden travelling blue box? It doesn't make sense..."

The black haired girl-well Splash, in this case-rolled her eyes with exasperation.

"Relax, Cleffis. The story has finished. You're just here to answer a little questions from the reviewers. Right after you're done, we'll take you back to where you were. You, Allegro and Cleffis will be back on the bus, and the Dazzlings will be back at their homes."

Cleffis nodded very slowly, even though he still had some trouble understanding what the author was saying.

"Okay..."

As the teenagers settled themselves comfortably in the red velvet chairs, Splash turned to grin hugely at a brown haired man with a pinstriped suit as he poked his head out from the police box.

"Thank you so much for helping me pick them up, Doctor."

"No problem!" The man replied. "Now go ahead and ask them the questions first. I'll go off and pick up the others."

"Of course."

As the man disappeared back into the TARDIS, Splash turned back to Triple Rewind and the Dazzlings.

"Now, I'm going to read out the questions that the reviewers gave."

The six nodded slowly. In the background, the TARDIS dematerialised with its signature 'VWORP-VWORP' sound.

Splash took a small sheet of paper from her pocket, and read aloud the first question.

**1\. To the Dazzlings: How has your life changed since meeting Triple Rewind?**

The three Sirens thought for a moment.

"Well, I think we can answer this question together." Adagio said, as Aria and Sonata nodded.

"As all of you out there know, the three of us have been around here for a very long time." Aria said. "All that time, the only thing we concerned ourselves with was feeding off negative energy and preserving our voices. And making the world adore us."

"And even after our powers were taken away, all we did was wallow in misery." Adagio added.

"Meeting Triple Rewind made us realise that there was more to life than just adoration and negative energy." Sonata explained, smiling at the three boys, Concerto in particular. "They helped us to open our eyes to other things. And they helped us realise who we really wanted to be."

"Growing close to them gave us positive influence to care for others." Adagio chimed in. "Before this, I don't remember thinking of Aria and Sonata as my friends."

"And…I guess learning how to love is another thing?" Aria asked. "I know it was pretty obvious during the story, but it counts."

Splash nodded.

"It counts. I think it was a bit more complicated with Sonata and Concerto, though."

Concerto and Sonata looked at each other and blushed.

"I think in my case, it was more about learning to pick yourself up and cope with hurt." Sonata said. "And not to hold back your feelings."

"Is that it?" Splash asked.

The three girls nodded.

**2\. To Triple Rewind: How has your life changed when you met the Dazzlings and how shocked were you when you found out that they were sirens?**

Allegro spoke first.

"Uh...I think our answers go in completely different ways, so we may have to answer this question separately."

He thought for a few seconds before giving his answer.

"For my case, I was letting someone else decide who I was for me until I met the Dazzlings. Falling in love with Adagio gave me enough courage to fight for who I really wanted to be and helped me to give Mr Biz a wake up call. Also, it was partially thanks to her that I found out I was half siren. And...I guess I was pretty shocked when I found out the three of them were Sirens, but as you can recall, I was also tied in a chair at the time, so given the situation, I had to accept it."

He turned to Cleffis and Concerto.

"I think that's about it for me."

The two boys looked at each other.

"You can go first." Concerto said politely.

"Thanks."

With a shrug, Cleffis gave his answer.

"In my case, I didn't care much about other's feelings or opinions. I only cared about myself. Once I started to develop feelings for Aria, I started paying more attention to her feelings, which also made me realise that caring for others is important. And, of course I was shocked that she was a siren. I mean, it sort of explains how she lost her voice, but I was more shocked that she would have lied to me about it the whole time. But I'm going to let it slide."

Aria turned red slightly at his words, and the two exchanged a smile.

"And you, Concerto?" Splash asked the brown haired boy.

Concerto took a moment to gather his thoughts before he opened his mouth.

"I guess for me, I was afraid to contribute more to the group because I didn't believe in myself. I was also blindly pining for someone. When I met Sonata, not only did she influence me with her joy and cheerfulness, but her encouragement also got me to finally put a song out there for us to perform, and partially because of her, I realised that Cherry wasn't the right person for me."

Sonata blushed furiously. "Heh...it was nothing..."

"Also, you could say I was a little shocked. Well, I wasn't expecting Sonata to be a siren, but then again, life is unpredictable sometimes. So after a while, I decided to just roll with it."

Splash nodded with a smile, looking at the paper again.

**3\. To Allegro: How shocked are you when you found out that you were half-siren?**

"Uh...I knew I was half siren after I had magic drained from me, and after I transformed into a half siren form." Allegro recounted. "So I was very shocked. I had been completely normal for years up until now, when suddenly I have red clouds coming out of me, and I can grow ears and wings when I sing. It's a pretty big change, I guess, but I'll try to get used to it."

There was a pause.

"My voice...can't be destroyed, can it?"

Splash shook her head.

"Nope. You don't have a gem pendant hanging vulnerably around your neck for people to destroy, remember?"

"Whew."

**4\. To Cleffis and Concerto:Are you two okay with Allegro being half-siren?**

"Well, of course we are!" Concerto replied with a reassuring grin, while Cleffis nodded and patted Allegro on the back. "I mean, we've known him for a couple years now. We're not going to look at him differently because he's half siren."

"Being half siren doesn't change the fact that he's a trustworthy friend." Cleffis added.

**5\. To the Dazzlings, but mainly Adagio: When all of you were out cold from magic loss or magic overload, did you dream? If so, what about? Home? The boys?(yes, even tacos?)**

"Uh, okay...was I dreaming?" Adagio thought for a moment. "I think I was. It's a little fuzzy right now, but if I remember correctly, I was back at the Battle of The Bands. The ailcorn projection that destroyed our powers, however, was replaced by Allegro."

Allegro was completely flabbergasted.

"Wha...what?"

"I guess I was a little in shock from losing my powers again, and in mind, I threw you in with the Rainbooms." Adagio said with a small shrug. "Why do you think I was so mad at you after I woke up?"

"I guess it makes sense..." Allegro said, still a little confused.

"For me, I was worried about Cleffis and Adagio when I fell asleep." Aria pointed out. "So I think I dreamt of myself being beat up by Adagio, and Cleffis just stood there and ignored me."

Adagio winced at the words, while Cleffis's face reddened.

"Please don't tell me I was-"

"And I think you were busy flirting with two girls."

"Never mind..." Cleffis faceplanted on the table before patting Aria on the shoulder.

"My dream was nothing much." Sonata said. "The memory of Concerto and Cherry, and the memory of Adagio draining my magic just kept on replaying in front of me. And then a giant flying Taco came to my rescue."

Everyone else in the room, author included, stared at Sonata in disbelief.

"A...giant, flying Taco?" Concerto said blankly.

"Yeah, I know, it's nothing special." Sonata sighed.

There was a period of silence.

Then, Splash spoke up.

"Uh...okay…now moving on to the next question..."

**6\. To the author: What inspired you to make Triple Rewind?**

Splash blinked.

"A question directed to me? Okay, then."

Meanwhile at their chairs, Allegro, Cleffis and Concerto were sitting up straight with wide, unblinking eyes. They did not want to miss this out.

"I think I stated in the first chapter that I wanted to write a fanfic about the Dazzlings after watching Rainbow Rocks. So I decided to create three OCs opposite the Dazzlings. That's how Triple Rewind came about. Also, I tried to name each character the exact opposite of each Dazzling."

"Except for me?" Cleffis said.

"Sorry, Cleffis. I didn't have the patience to find the opposite of Aria or Blaze." Splash explained apologetically.

"Nah, it's fine." Cleffis replied. "I like my name anyways."

Splash carried on.

"Also, after the first few chapters, I decided to use Triple Rewind to sort of echo some of the problems there are today in the celebrity world. I've read many times on how celebrities have people keeping tabs on them, and sometimes they come under fire for dating someone that fans don't want them to be with. It's kind of hard being a celebrity these days."

"I hear you." Allegro called out. "I remember how my fans used to be crazy with the Alletrine shipping."

"And don't forget my fangirls attempting to mess around with Aria." Cleffis added, glancing at the violet haired girl, who looked down with a sigh.

"Right. So using these scenarios, I wanted to show that underneath all that glitz and glamour, celebrities are still...people. They still have the right to make their own decisions, to decide who they want to be. No one else, not their manager or their fans, have the right to decide for them."

Concerto nodded. "Right! But I didn't have much problems with that..."

"I decided not to give you one of those scenarios because you already had Cherry and Sonata conflicting your head." Splash replied. "And your songwriting talent."

Concerto nodded. "I see."

It was just then that the TARDIS rematerialised behind them.

The door opened, and the Doctor led out Sandalwood and Micro Chips. Both of them were astonished.

"Great timing, Doctor!" Splash said cheerfully. "We're just about to read the question."

**7\. To Sandalwood and Micro Chips: Sandalwood, what do you think of Chandelier? Micro, same question but it's Limelight instead. Any interest whatsoever?**

"What..." Sandalwood's face became flushed pink, while Micro's mouth fell open.

"Just answer the question, you two." Splash told them. "You'll be fine."

"Uh...well, Chandelier's a very nice person." Sandalwood said rather shyly, his face reddening. "She's pretty friendly and smart also, I guess. And...sigh, I'm sure most of you can already tell I have an interest in her."

"What about you, Micro?" Splash asked, making Micro straighten up with surprise. "What do you think of Limelight?"

Micro Chips adjusted his glasses nervously.

"Limelight's okay."

Splash narrowed her eyes, a cheeky grin growing on her face.

"Just okay?"

"Y-yeah...she's creative, she writes good songs and stuff. But I'm not exactly her type, so I'm not interested in her..."

"You're blushing!" Sonata teased in a sing-song voice.

"No I'm not!" Micro stammered, blushing even harder.

"Yes you are." Concerto pointed out, peering over from his chair.

"You do like Limelight!" Sonata said.

After a few more seconds, Micro sighed in defeat.

"You got me..."

**8\. To Allegro: How did it feel when you had to do the cutsie-cutsie stuff for the Alletrine shipment with Critine Gem? I am asking this because I love all the good love situation stuff and plan to become the expert.**

Allegro grimaced in disgust when he heard the question.

"That felt horrible. It was torture. We had to do so many things together. We had to do photoshoots, autograph sessions, even concerts together sometimes. Well, I'd say I'm comfortable with smiling, but after all that, my jaws hurt. It was mortifying that I had to pretend to be happy with her, and every time she smiled at me, giggled or called me her boyfriend it sent a chill up my spine."

He shook slightly at the nightmarish memories as they flooded back into his head.

**9\. To Cleffis: When you saw fangirls taunting Aria, how exactly were you feeling? Can you give full details on this?**

"Is that the punch incident?" Allegro asked.

"Yep." Aria said. "Right, I never knew what happened after I ran off…"

"Cleffis scolded the fangirls and slapped the girl holding the punch bowl across her face." Splash said.

Aria blushed and looked at Cleffis.

"Thanks, I guess." She muttered.

Cleffis smiled. "No problem."

Splash coughed.

"Ahem, Cleffis, the question...?"

Cleffis blinked.

"Of course. I was really shocked and upset when I saw what was going on. I just couldn't believe that my fangirls would actually do something so humiliating to Aria just because I liked her. I got even angrier when I saw them laughing at her, and that girl with the punch bowl taunting her, and even when she ran off, seeing them show no compassion or concern for her feelings made me even angrier. Honestly, if I didn't have a reputation to uphold, I would have beat every single one of them up on the spot. But I didn't. Instead, I decided to downgrade it a little to a single slap."

"And you...didn't feel guilty one bit when you saw how scared they were?" Splash asked.

Cleffis shook his head, huffing.

"No! Why would I feel guilty?! My only thought when I yelled at them was that they deserved it! They hurt Aria, and I definitely wasn't going to let them off on that one!"

Seeing her boyfriend so worked up over the incident made Aria a little concerned.

"Calm down, Cleffis. It's in the past now, and I'm completely fine, so..."

**10\. To Concerto: The heartbreak was hard for Sonata to leave you right? Tell me, how were the feelings in your head going about? Describe what your head and heart were telling you to do.**

Concerto was at a complete loss for words.

"Well...I presume the heartbreak you're talking about is when Sonata saw me and Cherry kissing. And...you're talking about after she left me, I guess?"

The others watched him intently as he began to talk.

"I really don't know what to say about it. There were sometimes where I didn't feel anything, as in, I felt like a hollow, empty shell. And then those times where I did feel, all I felt was sadness and despair. My head kept on telling me that Sonata was just some random friend, and that I would get over it soon, and that Cherry would be more important than her. But my heart told me that Sonata was more important to me than anything else, and I was nothing without her."

"Awwww..." Splash swooned.

"You really thought of me that way?" Sonata asked shyly, as Concerto turned to face her and blushed.

"Yeah..."

**11\. To the author: Will there be a sequel to this?**

Splash nodded vigorously, a big smile on her face.

"Yes. I wasn't really sure whether to do a sequel or not, but I decided to. Triple Rewind and the Dazzlings will reappear in the story, also since I'm trying to develop Triple Rewind a little more. But I'm not going to reveal at all what it'll be about..."

This was followed by a long bout of coughing that was obviously fake.

"*Cough, cough*...cutie mark*cough, cough, cough*..."

The Dazzlings and Triple Rewind looked at the author with deadpan expressions on their faces as she stopped coughing.

"Anyway...it'll take a while to come out, since I'm still struggling with the storyline. But I will publish it. So stay tuned!"

**12\. To Aria: Do you plan on telling Cleffis that dream you had about him before you two started dating?**

Aria blushed, looking a little more embarrassed than earlier.

"Uh...No, actually..."

Cleffis leaned his head over and looked at her in confusion.

"You had a dream about me before we started dating?"

Splash snickered.

"She sure did."

*After a brief flashback to Chapter 12*

Everyone was laughing their heads off except for Aria and Cleffis, who had their arms around each other.

Aria's face was still red, while Cleffis was smiling awkwardly and patting her shoulder.

** Silver: How did you become friends Limelight and Chandelier?**

"Silver's here?" Sonata said.

"Yep, here I am!"

To everyone's surprise, the silver haired girl popped out from the open doors of the TARDIS and went to stand next to Sandalwood and Micro Chips.

"Okay, so I'll try my best to explain." Silver said. "I met Limelight at the library. I was there borrowing some library books, and I had to pay a small fine for an overdue book. I didn't have enough back then, so it just so happened that Limelight was there, and she helped me. I was really grateful to her, and she seemed like a good person, so we started talking and it just left off from there."

"As Chandelier said somewhere earlier in the story, I met her at a cafe when she saw Limelight and I soothing some arguing customers with our song. She was a little suspicious of us at first, but we became friends eventually. Also, she was pretty lonely, so she was happy to have someone to talk to."

** Adagio: Are you going to take up Citrine's offer and meet up with her to talk and become friends?**

Allegro stared at Adagio, astonished.

"Citrine gave you an offer?!"

Adagio nodded.

"She gave me a letter. In it, she apologised to me and asked if we could be friends."

"Ohhhh." Allegro still couldn't comprehend it.

"Well, um, I've been thinking that I should give her a chance." Adagio said. "I don't know what anyone else would think of her letter, but I think it was sincere and heartfelt. Of course, I'm a little...suspicious that she could be up to something, but maybe I'll take up her offer. Just maybe."

"Nice." Silver said, as Concerto nodded slightly.

Splash glanced at the list of questions before turning to the TARDIS.

"Sunset, your question is next!" She called out.

A few seconds later, Sunset walked out.

"Okay, I'm ready. What's the question?" She asked curiously.

** Sunset Shimmer: When Adagio was stealing magic from Aria and Sonata, were you going to contact Princess Twilight from Equestria to help if Adagio continued to stealing magic from your friends or not?**

"Oh, that's right, Princess Twilight!" Aria said.

Sunset nodded.

"Honestly, I really wanted to contact Princess Twilight to help us out with it, but everything happened so quickly. Sonata, then Aria, and then Allegro got kidnapped, so I decided not to contact her in the end. Like I said after the Friendship Games, Princess Twilight has her own agenda back in Equestria, and most likely she won't write back so quickly. Also, I was a little more sure that we could handle the problem."

"Well, I wonder what Princess Twilight actually was doing throughout this story..." Silver remarked, looking at Splash.

Splash shrugged.

"Who knows?"

She coughed.

"Anyway...that's all the questions we have. The Doctor will take you guys back now."

"Well, that went better than I thought." Allegro remarked, as the others got up from their chairs and walked back into the TARDIS in an orderly fashion.

"You know," Sunset said. "I was thinking of telling Princess Twilight about what happened. Is that okay?"

"Of course you have to tell her!" Sonata chirped. "She's the Princess of Friendship!"

As the teenagers talked amongst themselves, the Doctor waved at Splash before closing the door of the police box. As the TARDIS dematerialised before her, Splash grinned and took out her phone.

"Now..."

She opened the writing app. Right on the screen was a new folder with only one document in it.

The folder's title consisted of one word: Equalise.

"How do I go about this?"


	32. Sequel

**Splashfire99:** Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that the sequel to this story is out :)!


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